I, Shepard
by Alamak
Summary: The impossible has happened. I don't know how but I ended up in the Mass Effect Universe. Stripped of my identity, struggling for clarity, I find that nothing is as it seems. Oh, and there's a problem...I'm Commander Shepard. Welcome to my twisted life.
1. The Light

**I, Shepard**

**What is this place?**

_Frozen. _

Within this realm, only two things exist—the darkness and the light. One cannot prosper without the other. Light would come first, embracing me like the fury of the Sun, rendering me immovable. It makes it hard for me to remember what my life was like _before_ this moment. I try to think back to a time that's familiar, except nothing surfaces. Where the ability to recall events should be, there's a void. I should be scared, terrified even, but before that emotion can wash over my senses, the night dawns upon my being.

The skies darken, leaving me sober and aware. I can think here. Faces, names, places, multitudes of people whom I've come into contact with light up my memories. The stars in the night sky begin revealing things. Among them are emotions. I come to learn over time that these emotions are my own. Love, happiness, sadness. Did I share these with others? Something tells me that I might have in my past, flashes of a time spent in other places with other people. Their faces were all the same—blurry and indistinguishable. But then, what was _this_ place? Death would lead to nothingness or an eternity in heaven or hell. But this existence was neither. It was simply…here.

Someone is watching me.

I can feel a presence from above. It's not the sun or moon bearing down, but a being of some sort. I'll just be laying in a daze, waiting for something to happen and it'll appear, staring at me with invisible eyes. I concentrate, but can _see_ nothing…_feel_ nothing. I wonder if I'm the problem. Maybe I did something to deserve this wretched state of torment.

I lived in a world filled with happy people once. Then I ended up here. Stuck in this limbo. How? Why? I try to think past these simple questions in the darkness, but I'm led to the same conclusion. The sun would rise, giving way to another day filled with nothing but warmth.

I would lay there underneath the clouds, basking in the light, never questioning my future. Settling for some level of mediocrity within this eternal slumber.

_Where am I going? What am I doing? Who am I? _

It seemed like years had passed as I lay there during the day wasting away into nothing. Ease of mind only came to me during the night, a moment when I could assemble my identity and figure out where it all went wrong. How long would this hell last?

Little did I know that the answer would come in the form of noise. The voices came like a thief in the night. A single blade piercing my web of ignorance. It was like leaving innocence behind, shedding my skin so that I could become anew.

"What if he doesn't remember?"

I never realized a single question could resonate so perfectly with my thoughts. Who said that? It sounded like a man who commanded respect, his voice dry and void of emotion. So familiar to me, though I couldn't place my finger on it.

"Of course he'll remember! The damage wasn't that extensive. Though, I do have my doubts."

Now it's a woman's voice that rings my ears. So distinct—a touch of sympathy coated with an accent. She sounded like a gentle person. Wise beyond her years, even. My thoughts were quickly coming back to me, rushing around my subconscious, dashing about in chaos. I felt confused.

"The beacon couldn't have done all of that to him, right?" Another man's voice pierces the veil. A soft edge escapes his lips. He seemed like a friend.

I try and focus, redoubling my efforts.

A flash of white light soon enters my vision, jolting my body violently. Crazy depictions of alien events swarm me. Images of creatures screaming at the heavens fill my gaze. They were cursing at giant twisting figures that imitated ugly-looking claws. They were massive, dotting the endless expanse of skies on every world. I knew these things. Structures made of metal, floating in space, harnessing a blue energy that emanated with power, beings similar to the human race.

"Doctor? Doctor Chakwas? I think he's waking up."

Quietly, my eyes open.

I'm staring at a ceiling lined with pipes and wires. A dim metallic hue fills the length of the interior. I was lying on some type of slab—whether it was metal or special plating I just couldn't tell. Carefully, I sit upright, wincing at the pain that shoots across my ribs. A woman passes me by. She wore a look of concern upon her face, her pearly eyes focusing in on mine.

"You had us worried there, Shepard. How are you feeling?"

It took me a moment to register the fact that she was speaking to me. She had to be kidding. I shake my head and run my fingers through my hair.

"Shepard?" I answer groggily, "My name isn't Shepard."

"My God, it did more damage than I thought! Let me take another look at you." She brought her hand up to my face and examined my features. I didn't really have a chance to look around to see where I was, or what type of hospital this was. But I figured that I'd find out soon enough. It only took her a minute to come to her conclusion.

"You seem fine. I don't see anything wrong."

"Where are my parents?" I ask. My voice sounds strange. Was it deeper? More mature sounding? Maybe my vocal chords were damaged in whatever accident I was involved in.

"I might be able to help…" A man steps forward and faces me. His features are drawn, accentuating dark circles beneath eyes which stared at me from deep hollows. He'd seen a lot during the course of his life. A hell of a lot more than I've ever seen.

"Do you remember who I am, son?"

I shake my head.

He frowns and then lets out a frustrated sigh, "I'm your Captain."

"Captain?"

"That's right. Captain Anderson. You remember?" There was a hint of mockery in his voice. What kind of sick joke was this? He wore a military uniform lined with the golden trim that marked him as a superior. But a superior of what? I thought this was a hospital, not some kind of military establish-

"What year is it?" I yell—my heart is now racing.

He laughed, as did the rest of the people behind me. I turn to see a man and woman standing beside each other, both wore typical military clothing. Dark blue shirts and pants tucked in. They're well groomed and orderly. The woman has her hair tied back in a bun. The man was clean shaven, his hair slightly longer than mine. They're laughing at me, as if the sight excused any semblance of composure. The girl steps forward.

"Look, Shepard, I feel bad enough about you having to save me from that beacon. But now you're just rubbing it in!"

I examine her. The way she stood with a hand on her hip, that faint grin, narrowing eyes which hinted at a working mind. It was her all right.

_Ashley Williams._

I spin around, taking a good look at the doctor and older man.

"Captain Anderson?" I ask

He nods.

"Doctor Chakwas?" I meet her worried gaze.

"In the flesh my dear," She replies.

_This is really happening. _

Was I still dreaming? Maybe this was all just a figment of my imagination…something my mind cooked up while I was actually lying in some hospital bed.

"Are you sure you're alright, Shepard?"

_Shepard. _

There was that word again.

_How in God's name did I end up here?_

"Shepard?"

"Give me a minute," I snap.

Nothing could have prepared me for this moment. No amount of training, or mental preparation…this was completely foreign to me. The sensation of being here, amongst the faces I have seen in another life…

In another place…

I clear my throat and motion towards the Captain.

"What is it?" He asks

I think back to the simplicity of my former life. But even as I revisit old memories, I realize that I can't remember everything. I couldn't form a proper picture in my head. Certain things that should exist are gone. I was like a husk. No name, no past, an unsettling present, and a future dipped into the wax of Hell itself.

"The Reapers…" I croak.

"They're coming."


	2. False Prophet

False Prophet

**The Citadel is home to over 13.2 million people,** **both** **alien and human alike**. That's not including the keepers. Its massive frame stretches to around 44.7 kilometers in length, 12.8 kilometers in diameter, and weighs in at 7.11 billion metric tons. It was a structure composed of biblical proportions. So, the question is…why am I not awestruck by its presence? The Normandy was gracefully piloted through the harmonic nebula surrounding the station, with Joker wasting no time in getting us to the docking bay sanctioned by Alliance officials.

"Isn't it amazing?" Ashley is enthralled by the presence of the Citadel. Her eyes are glued to the arching walkways and towering skyscrapers which dotted the metallic surface. I couldn't help but find myself resting up against her, my gaze trained forward at the sight. Seeing it in person from the small crevice of the Normandy's viewing window was lackluster. But, at the same time, it was kind of beautiful. There was something authentic about this moment. Something _tangible_ here.

"I can't wait to see what this place has to offer." Kaidan says.

"You've never been here before, LT?" Ashley asks, turning to face him briefly before refocusing her gaze on the Citadel.

"Can't say I have. This'll be my first time. Been looking forward to this for a few years now."

"It's my first time too," she replies, "I wonder if it's anything like the vids…"

"Doubt it," I reply. Now was as good a time as any to break the ice with my crew. Even though we were way past that by now. I did save her life after all…technically.

"Oh? What about you Commander?"

I smile, "Never been here before."

_At least, not in person_.

"There's a surprise. And here I thought you'd seen it all."

"Sorry to disappoint. I'm just an average guy."

"Average is the last word I'd use to describe you, sir."

_If only they knew_.

So much was happening. I couldn't keep up with this façade much longer. The concept of blending in is harder than it sounds. Not only was I in a place fit for real military personnel, but I was on track for the Reapers, the gargantuan creature-ship's hell-bent on destroying organic life. Unfortunately, no one would believe me. I had to make sure that above everything else, I stayed on course for Shepard's arc. How would he act? What would he say? This was going to be a huge undertaking, but I was ready for it. At least, I hoped so.

After 'waking up' from my encounter with the beacon, I had spoken with Ashley. Things were normal as ever, with her having apologized about everything back on Eden Prime. I simply waved her off and told her to "forget about it," but the look she gave me afterwards made me feel awkward. Was it the wrong thing to say? Maybe. So, I left her alone and made my way over to Kaidan. We talked for some time. I told him that Eden Prime was a blur and that the Prothean beacon fried my memory. It was obviously an excuse but he seemed to accept that answer for the time being.

He told me about Jenkins. I have to say, people were taking the news kind of hard around here. His death, I mean. Jenkins was always in everyone's business. But God, they loved him. Doctor Chakwas nearly wept when I asked her about our conversation with Jenkins before the mission. That was the last time I mentioned him.

There was just something about Kaidan, though. Some kind of suspicion lingering around his every word that made me feel strange. I'm sure he believed me when I told him certain things were blacked out from my recall. But there were those passing glances. The inconspicuous watching as I made my rounds past his station. He was calculating my every move for some reason. At least, that's what I chose to think. Ultimately, I was going to have to chalk that up as another thing to look out for. Covering my own ass was secondary to the mission.

Soon we'd reach Udina's office. I wonder what that'll be like…will he be pissed about the colony? About Nihilus's death? It was impossible for me to say. Being here already proved so many things wrong.

**1 Hour Later**

Udina is an asshole. Plain and simple. Sure, Eden Prime may have been a political shit storm in the making. But it wasn't _our_ fault. I stood stoic before him, my expression unchanging as he lambasted me in front of my crew and Captain Anderson. Once he finished, I wasted no time in having him see things my way.

"What do you possibly have to say, Commander?"

"It's not what you're going to want to hear, Sir-"

"Then _save_ it!"

I exhale and calm myself down. We didn't need to fight. Not now. Everyone had to be on the same page in order to find evidence against Saren. A lot was on the line.

"I can find the person we need."

"For what?" He snarled, "We need a lot of people to clean up the mess you found yourself in back on Eden Prime. Do you understand how this looks for humanity, Shepard?"

"It was Saren! Not us! The council will understand. I'm sure of it."

"How can you be so goddamn naïve, Shepard? We're nothing in the eyes of the council. You really believe that everything will pan out? You think that the council is going to want a human on board for Spectre training now? We've been waiting for this opportunity for years! And here we are…_again_!_" _Udina's looks over to Captain Anderson_._ He didn't need to explain. I already knew what his gesture meant. Years ago, Saren ruined Anderson's chance by pegging the destruction of a factory on him. He was in the running for Spectre candidacy, but it never worked out. I wasn't planning on letting Saren get away with murder again.

"A Quarian," I say.

"Excuse me?"

"There's a Quarian on her pilgrimage who holds data that's going to pin Saren to Eden Prime."

Udina looks confused.

"How in God's name did you f-"

"It's not important how I got the information. It's a solid lead. Isn't that enough?"

"I suppose…"

"Good."

"I'll arrange a meeting with the Council then. Contact me when you find the Quarian."

"Thank you, sir."

"Just...get out of here. I have a lot to do."

Anderson remained with Udina—leaving me, Kaidan, and Ashley to venture for ourselves. In no time, we find ourselves stumbling through the Embassy lobby. Sure enough, there was Avina—that annoying virtual intelligence program. I played around with her interface for awhile. It was helpful, but I got so fed up with her voice that I needed a break.

I turn and see that Ashley is marveling over the Presidium, "This place is huge! How do you find your way around without getting lost?"

"We should take a cab," I say, "It'd bring us directly to the Wards."

"I don't know," Kaidan responds, "I kind of want to check this place out. Might as well enjoy what's in front of us."

_He has a point, you know._

It'd be best if we traveled to C-sec first, seeing as how eventually, we'd have to take the elevator there to the Normandy. It took us five minutes to reach the lobby once we finished climbing the stairs. Once inside, I could see that the place was teeming with activity.

_What the hell am I doing? _

Why was I here? _How_ was I here? These questions kept popping into my head, forcing me back to reality, but I would just press on, acting as if _all_ of this was normal. I didn't even know what that word meant to me anymore. I was here, though, _here_ was technically impossible according to universal standards.

"Look at the size of that Krogan!" Ashley points to a massive being across the lobby.

_That's your cue_.

"Come on. I want to meet him." I waste no time in walking over.

I could hear Ashley whisper something to Kaidan, to which he replied, "Be on your guard. Anything can happen."

I knew otherwise.

"Hey! Is this bastard giving you guys any trouble?"

I've never seen three C-Sec officers disperse from a single point so quickly before. Or ever, for that matter. They hurried off to view this encounter from a safe distance. Urdnot Wrex stood in silence.

_Bet you didn't expect that, big guy._

"I'm going to make this quick…" I was scrambling to make a connection.

"You have five seconds, human. I don't take kindly to any insults, as pathetic as they may be."

"That's all I need. I'm Commander Shepard of the Systems Alliance Navy."

"Killed plenty of Alliance men in my time…"

"R-Right. Well, I have an offer that you can't refuse, Wrex."

"I've heard that before too."

"I'm sure you have. But what if I was to tell you that you have an important connection to a man I want dead?"

He steps forward. I can smell the rot on his breath—it's damp and raw.

"I'm listening."

"…It's Saren Arterius."

His response is silence.

"I'll take it that you know him."

He nods.

"Look, I know who you are, Wrex. You're a dangerous mercenary, a few hundred years old, and you belong to Clan Urdnot. You've been around long enough to know when someone is bullshitting you. But this isn't for show. I need your help."

"What's in it for me?"

"…I have a ship, a crew, plenty of food and credits. We need more people like you. People looking for a fight."

"Sounds like an offer I can't refuse."

"So, you're in?"

He nods.

_Well, that was easy_.

"Just like that?"

"Mmm." He nods again.

"Okay. Now we just have to find Fist."

"Fist?" He interrupted.

"Yeah, what ab-"

"I took up one last contract with the Shadow Broker. Fist was in the fine print."

"Right…"

"Is that a problem?"

"No. It's fine." I reason. "We were heading over to Choras Den now."

"Good. Lead the way."

I couldn't gauge what Wrex thought of me. Though, deep down I knew there'd be plenty of time to gain his trust. The four of us left C-Sec and traveled once more into the open Presidium, walking the long bridge across to the Financial District. If I wanted, I could contact Harkin or Barla Von to find out Tali's whereabouts, but I knew what I was doing. There was no need to pursue anyone else for the moment. We eventually found an elevator in transit to the Wards.

But that's when it suddenly dawned on me…

Garrus was in Doctor Michel's Med-Clinic!

"We have to make a quick stop." I say.

"Why?" Wrex asks angrily. "You said we were headed over to see Fist!"

I turn to face Ashley and Kaidan.

"You two remember Garrus?"

They shake their heads.

"What? How…?"

_You never visited the Citadel Tower. That's where he was! _

"Never mind," I say, "Garrus is going to help us take down Saren."

"And why should I care?" Wrex spat.

"Because he's holed up with a bunch of armed thugs, and they've taken a doctor hostage."

He motions forward. "Well, then. Why didn't you just say so?"


	3. Built By Machines

Built by Machines

Ever find yourself listening to a song so many times that you just can't seem to shake the lyrics from your head? It was happening to me now. The minute I stepped off of the elevator that transported us from the Presidium, I was hit with the words to a song from my favorite band, _Underoath_. You probably don't know them. Hell, a lot of people don't. They were a healthy mix of hard rock infused with melodic vocals and heavy blast beats. An odd pairing of style and elements, I know, but there was something about their music that spoke to me.

_We are nothing, they own our lives_

_Just a statue of a stain in time_

_We are nothing they own our lives_

_Spinning in circles, got left behind_

Those words were left circulating inside of my head, the very idea of the Reapers and their cycle of destruction rushed to the forefront of my thoughts. The Reapers, just like the lyrics suggest, literally own our lives. They come again and again, harvesting organic life for their own personal gain. It's a grim thought, but really, as I look around and see what has become of the world, I knew deep down that it was all just a temporary reprieve. Flux, the upper and lower markets, even that majestic view of the city stretching along the Citadel arm before us. It was all a façade. The Citadel was a place built by the Reapers. That's no secret. However, what really irks me…what gets below my skin more than anything else, is the fact that no one is doing a damn thing to ensure that the galaxy is safe from the slaughter.

The Council? Cowards in every sense of the word. The Alliance? Too busy trying to please the Council. Cerberus? Plagued by their own senseless ambition of pulling for humanities best interests. Where were the heroes? Where was that magical entity or person who was going to bail out the galaxy when it reached bankruptcy?

"Shepard!"

I find myself standing in front of the Med-Clinic, my arms fully extended at my sides, eyes blurry from my distant fixation on the past. I turn and see that Ashley and Kaidan are behind me, with Wrex towering over them near the flank. All three have their guns trained forward.

"What's wrong Commander?" Kaidan asks.

I take a deep breath and unlatch my pistol from my belt.

"Here's the plan…"

I walk up to the door and notice that it's locked from the inside—the spherical indicator plastered to the outer fixture was glowing red. I slide my freehand over the metallic frame, wondering what we'd find behind it.

"Garrus is inside the Med-Clinic. He went ahead to help Doctor Michel. She works in the Clinic, helping those who need medical attention, as you can imagine. I believe there are four armed thugs in there…maybe _three_. My point is, keep your eyes peeled. Be focused. Stay alert. I want zero casualties on this one."

The three of them nod. We reach the door and prepare for entry. _That was easy enough_. Kaidan tinkers with his Omni-tool and searches for some kind of way to get the lock open. In that time, I find myself thinking back to when I was first introduced to Mass Effect. Back to the dawn of it all. Of my old life.

"Almost ready," Kaidan whispers.

That hazy dream world couldn't have been my genesis. Couldn't have been my _beginning_. I evaporated into that world. Existed somewhere else that was normal. Why did this happen to me? Was there some kind of scientific explanation for this? Last time I checked, there wasn't. So, how am I here in the Mass Effect Universe?

As I'm staring at this door, waiting to find Garrus and confront the armed thugs, I can't help but feel…emptiness. I was the culprit of a very elaborate, fucked-up scheme in what can only be described as the greatest case of identity theft in the history of man. Claiming the name of 'Shepard' as my own. As hard as I try, as much as I catch myself thinking about who I really am, who I once _was_…I find that there's nothing there. Nothing at all. I hoped that maybe it was just shock, or short-term memory loss, or something that was fucking identifiable by some type of scientific means. But I'm scared that there isn't any reason. That there's no going back to a life filled with minimal worry. To a world eclipsed in peace.

"Okay, we're good to go, Commander!"

"Let's do it." I reply.

In perfect unison, the doors to the Med-Clinic open, leaving no room for error as we step inside. I knew from my past experience that this particular clinic was small. Doctor Michel's base of operations was more about 'heart' than aesthetic appeal. My pulse is steady, my sights narrow—gun focused dead ahead. That's when I see him.

Garrus Vakarian.

He pivots around the corner of the wall closest to us, facing the opposite hall, meeting the thug leader head on. Doctor Michel was in his grasp. The thug was screaming at him, though I couldn't understand a thing from my vantage point. We sneak across the reception area, but passing by the long stretching window was inevitable, and with that, the leader spotted us.

"Four more!" He shouted.

That's when everything spiraled out of control.

I stop dead in my tracks. The leader turns to face me, his gaze locks in on mine. He was confident—A cold-blooded killer at heart. Garrus immediately took advantage of the delay. With his pistol drawn, he fires a shot—one single blow to the leader's head. One shot to end it all. Out of nowhere, a wave of biotic energy shoots past me, pummeling another thug from behind the wall. Pieces of shrapnel and glass fly everywhere. I see Wrex charge from my right side, heading straight for Garrus.

_Shit. He's going to kill him._

The brash Turian sidesteps a disc grenade thrown by one of the thugs from across the walkway. Wrex immediately dives into Garrus, knocking him to the ground in one ugly, uncoordinated motion. Before I could intervene, the grenade detonates. The blow was deafening, stifling my sense of hearing and self control, but soon I regain my balance. The doctor was running for the exit. That was a good sign. She was going to make it! But as my sights catch a seemingly lifeless Wrex and Garrus, I think the worst.

"Commander! Three more behind the crates," Ashley shouts.

I focus on the back wall. The thugs were huddled up against whatever cover they could find—crates, lockers, tables. They cowered behind useless protection.

"Ashley, Kaidan! Cover me!" I shout.

"We've got you!" Ashley yells back.

A barrage of energy lashes out at one of the thugs as Kaidan unleashes a fury of biotics, his body emanates with a faint blue glow. What happened next was _unreal_. There was a slight delay when the blue wave of energy hit the thug. But after a matter of seconds, I witnessed the air shift, kind of like the visual mirage oxygen gives off whenever heat is present. Then, the thug was lifted into the air, his body frozen, the expression on his face shows true fear.

"Ashley, right side!" Kaidan screams.

She raises her weapon and aims at the helpless man trapped in the blue wave of energy. Without any hesitation, she takes the shot, ending the potential threat. My God, everything was happening so fast. I almost couldn't believe my eyes.

"Enemy down," She shouts.

"Two more left!" Kaidan replies as he charges up for another biotic attack.

Ashley slides into cover and peeks around the corner. She judges whether or not she had a clear shot. She didn't. Though, that didn't stop the thugs from firing whatever they had left at us.

"Kaidan, end this!" I yell.

He wastes no time in sending a concussive blast at the two men who were left. I could feel the intensity of the wave as it passed me by. You know that feeling, like when your breath is taken away by an overwhelming sense of wonder? Or amazement? Yeah, amazement was more the token word here. I was awestruck, energized, thrilled, and scared all at the same time. It was pure energy, an unlimited source of power that seemed to just _exist_.

In mere seconds, the wave hit the two men, and in a brilliant explosion of light and sound, they were thrown to the back wall, their bodies crushed under its force. Something this sudden, so _deadly_, was an unnatural sight to me. Yet I couldn't help but feel drawn to it.

"Get off me!"

I snap back to attention, my head turning at the sound of struggle. Garrus' arms were flailing from under Wrex's large frame. I would have laughed had we not just experienced a serious fire-fight in the Wards.

"It's okay Garrus!" I make my way over to the both of them. I help Wrex up and drag his large self off of Garrus, which wasn't an easy task, might I add. The grizzly Krogan mumbles something at me, but I couldn't understand what he was saying. He probably cursed me out in his native tongue. That seemed like his character. But Garrus…the poor fella leaps from the ground and skirts across the floor behind a half-destroyed chair. He was scared shitless.

He pulls out a pistol, aiming it straight for my head.

"Whoa!" Ashley cries, "Hostile force!"

"No!" I throw my arms up, turning to face her, "Stand down. He's a friend."

Garrus lowers his weapon and casts a strange look my way.

"Friend?" He asks, "I've never met you before in my life."

_Fuck_. _Now you have some explaining to do_.

"Shit…" I blurt out.

"What's going on, Commander?" Kaidan asks, his calm expression quickly evolves into frustration.

"Commander?" Garrus wonders. "Are you Commander Shepard?"

I smile. Lady luck was finally in my favor, it seemed.

"Yeah, I am. I've been looking for you Garrus. I need your help."

He chuckles. "I'm surprised. I didn't expect you to show up here. How did you know Doctor Michel was in danger?"

"I…"

_Fuck. Think of something smart._

"I was contacted by a C-Sec agent via the Internet. One of my long-time friends who works in this Ward. He heard commotion in this, uh, Med-Clinic. I just happened to be in the area."

"Internet? What is that?" Garrus asks.

_Shit. You're a moron. EXTRAnet. Not INTERnet. This isn't 21__st__ century bullshit we're dealing with here._

"_Extranet_," I correct him. "I meant Extranet."

"Interesting." He muses, "So, what is it you need me for?"

_Right. Cut to the chase. Time is of the essence._

"You know of Saren?"

He nods, withdrawing from his cover.

"I've been trying to nail him for some time now. The bastard is up to something. I was the C-Sec officer in charge of the investigation. He's a Spectre though, everything he touches is classified."

"I can help with that," I smile, motioning for him to come closer.

"Doctor Michel," Garrus turns to the distraught woman. "Are you alright?"

She nods, looking back to the crushed corpses at the end of the hall.

"These men were sent by Fist. They wanted me to tell them where the Quarian went…"

_Tali._

"Did you?" I blurt out.

She shakes her head and stares at the end of the hall. "I don't think it would have mattered."

"Right."

_Stupid question._

"So where does this leave us?"

Garrus faces me. "I want to go with you. I couldn't find any evidence tagged to Saren, leaving my investigation cold. But I knew what was really going on. Saren's a traitor to the Council, and a disgrace to my people!"

"Good enough for me," I extend my hand. "Welcome aboard, Garrus." He clasps it with a firm grip, shaking it twice before retracting his hand to his waist side.

"Fist is going to be waiting for us. When we hit him, we better hit him _hard_," He adds.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

_This is too fucking easy_.

Why did I get the feeling that everything was happening so alarmingly fast? It was all too convenient. Here I am, soon to be Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy, and everyone was going about their lives as if this was all normal. Like this version of reality was fine. I may not have remembered much of my past, but I knew that this was wrong. Shepard acted a certain way—professional, calculating, military-like. I knew none of these things. I only fired a gun a few times in my life, only worked one job in my life, and usually calculated my moves, but in an environment dominated by super fast technology and aliens of every shape and size known to man? I was out of my league. The question is…why isn't this ringing any alarms? I mean, I can understand why Ashley and Kaidan wouldn't want to question their commanding officer. But, really? We were _way_ past formalities. Why didn't they just say something to me? Why didn't they question me? Why wasn't anyone directing me _anywhere_? You see, I had all of these questions pent up, yet nowhere to point them.

It hurt just thinking about all of this. There was still plenty of time for me to sort things out and make sense of where I stood in this Universe. But for now, I would remain uneasy…restless, even. Maybe my past would come back to me. Things were still largely blacked out, I mean, at least I could identify with _some_ memories. That was a start. Except, where was the connection? I remember that dream world more than anything else. Why was that? So strange. A world holding me from reality. A limbo that existed between this world and the next. Between my former home and this place.

A sudden beep from my Omni-tool brings me back to the present. I activate the device and notice that a message had been sent to me.

_That's strange_.

The sender was unknown. Location, time—it was all encrypted. I thought that maybe it was a misguided email. Possibly even a chainmail conjured up by some foreign person or alien looking to get a little bit of cash wired to their account. _Fat chance, buddy_. As I focus on the message, I come to realize that this was far from a prank e-mail.

Sender: Unknown

Location: Unknown

Subject: Fade away

-**I know who you are. Meet me in Flux. You won't regret it.**

**-**_**Who is this**__**?**_

**-****Come alone****.**

**-**_**User Disconnected**_

Was this some kind of a joke? A set-up? A trap? Knowing my luck as of late, it was probably a combination of the three. I wasn't exactly going anywhere with this Shepard charade. So, it couldn't exactly hurt to make a quick stop, right? I mean, I desperately needed answers. I felt like keeping up with this arc was near impossible anymore without screwing up, because let's face it…I wasn't cut out for this hero role…and Shepard at _that_.

"Tell you what…" I turn to face my new crew. "I'm heading over to Flux to meet a source of mine. Wait for me in Chora's Den. Go scout the place out. Take in the atmosphere. I'll meet all of you there soon enough."

"Sounds good Commander," Ashley replied, "We'll send you a basic analysis report."

There it was again. Acceptance of strange behavior. We were a team. I was their leader. What faithful companion in their right mind just blindly obeys an order like that? Not _one_ thing? Not even a question, like… 'Hey, Shepard, how in the name of hell do you know a source that is connected with this case? Who is it? Why can't we be there? Don't you need back up? Why meet in a club?' A million questions could have been asked. Yet…nothing.

I leave them and embark on this new pursuit. I walk aimlessly through the Wards, passing by people dressed in exotic clothing and robes of alien design. I felt awkward wearing the medium build N7 armor. Then again, it was actually kind of comfortable. The plating was thick, probably heavier and more durable than most metal things back in the 21st century. So, between that and my kinetic barriers, it was safe to say that dying was highly unlikely.

The sight of the Wards was really something else. Salarians conversing with Turians about xenobiology, Krogan mercenaries fishing for work, merchants lining up carts for legal trade. It was a hub of all things current. My eyes are trained forward at the curving hall up ahead. I knew where it led. Flux was one of my favorite places—the Nightclub with hypnotic beats. Sure enough, I could hear the thudding from around the corner, and as I turned to face the staircase, I'm blasted with a low humming beat familiar to everyone who had visited this place in their experience with Mass Effect.

It was packed with people—drunk, young, carefree, rich, there were so many different types here. I found myself bobbing my head to the beat. It sounded much like trance music in the 21st century. It was one massive rave. I feel like I've been to a club before. I remember large quantities of people, sometimes an almost vacant place where the beat sounds hollow as it bounces off of neon-lit walls. Other times it's electrifying, penetrating my ears, coercing my mind into a state heightened by adrenaline and alcohol.

_Okay. Now what?_

Another beep went off on my Omni-Tool. I check the transparent screen, reading the words, _**I'm here**_**. **I look up, glancing every which way. All I see are people—tons of people. But nothing out of the ordinary. Naturally, my eyes are lured to the glowing red bar in the back corner. They say that red is the most attractive color to the human eye. For some reason, it sticks out, more than any other color in the spectrum. The same could be said for the bar here in Flux. A few people were lining the table, though; one person in particular stood out to me the most. She was wearing all black, some type of fancy leather ensemble that could easily pass for swimwear if you had enough of an imagination. She appeared attractive from the onset—a sleek frame with nice features. I probably stared for a solid five seconds before I forced myself to look away. I felt like such a creep for doing so, but I'm a guy…we sometimes do these things. I didn't expect her to notice, however.

She turns to face me.

"This place is amazing," She says.

I was completely caught off guard. A small grin stretches across her face. She was beautiful. Beyond it, even, but what was I supposed to do? Now I'm staring at her again, looking as creepy as ever in my armor with a blank expression on my face.

"I was expecting you."

_What the fuck? This wasn't supposed to happen. Who is this?_

How does someone play something like this off? Did she just say that she was _expecting_ me? How in God's name is that possible? I know for a fact that I've never seen this woman before. Nor is she a normal occurrence for Shepard, either. So what was going on here?

"Who are you?" I ask politely, grabbing a seat next to her. The patron at the bar asks me what I want to drink, but I wave him off. It wouldn't be right to consume that kind of stuff now. I was still on a mission after all.

"You really don't remember, do you?" She asks. Her eyes are stunning. A mix between red and orange—an eclipse of the brightest flame you'd ever see.

"I'm sorry but I'm afraid we've never m-"

"Stop." She holds her hand up in the air.

"You know me."

I stare into her eyes, trying hard to remember where I'd seen her before. Was she on the Normandy? One of those anonymous attendants that I never paid much attention to? Maybe she worked in the Presidium?

"How?"

She takes a sip of her drink. It was some kind of blue wine—an exotic looking beverage.

"I know _you_. Probably more than you can account for, I'm sure."

_The fuck does that mean?_

"I don't understand where you're going with this."

"You're Commander Shepard," She chuckles, leaning in closer. I could smell her perfume from here. It was like the ocean. A breath of fresh air in a place that was quickly going stale.

"But, I know who you _really_ are."

Her words hit home. Finally, some answers…I think. Did I really want to know where these would lead?

I look around the club, and bar for that matter, to make sure no one was listening in on our conversation. The girl must have noticed what I was doing, because she started laughing.

"You have nothing to worry about, James."

"James?" The name sounded so familiar. Where did I hear it before?

"That's _your_ name," She added.

"My…name…"

"What do you remember?" She asks. Her eyes skim every inch of my face. She was searching for emotion. For a reaction. I felt so numb, unable to process what this meant.

"Why me?" Was all I could get out.

"Right. All the questions you must have. It was hard for _me_ to understand when Raxus revealed my true identity." She motions across the dance floor, pointing to a large African-American man standing in a black overcoat. He wore a thin visor over his eyes, and carried a mean-looking shotgun which was slung over his shoulder. No one seemed to notice him as he stood in the middle of the dance floor. It's like he was invisible to everyone but us.

"What are you talking about?"

_Are these really the answers you're looking for? _

"We don't have much time, but I can tell you this…"

She stands up and takes my hand, leading me away from the bar and to one of the large windows. The Citadel looked so beautiful from here, but I couldn't understand what she was trying to show me.

"Such a sight." She says.

"It never gets old," I add, hoping that the cryptic bullshit would end so that she could tell me what was really going on. Soon enough she breaks the silence.

"You're very important here, James. You may not remember who you are. But _I_ do. Here, you're Commander Shepard. I know you don't understand how this happened. How you entered this universe filled with danger. Soon you will."

"I…who _are_ you?"

"A friend," She smiles, brushing her hand against my cheek.

"You'll be okay for now. Just keep being Shepard. Do what he would do. When the time is right, I'll find you. Then the adventure really begins." She winks and then turns for the exit, accompanied by the dark man with the strange looking visor.

"Wait!" I shout, "You never told me what your name was!"

She stops and faces me one last time.

"It's Nevva…"

And just like that, she fades away…her entire body vanishes before my eyes, like some sort of cloaked shadow agent. The dark man too. The both of them were just…gone. I stood there for a couple of minutes, unable to comprehend what was happening. She was gone. _Completely_ gone. The beautiful girl and strange man were out of my life, almost as quickly as they came into it. _I guess you were right after all_. I wasn't from here. I had a different identity once. I was and _am_ a person. I'm not just a husk. Someone _knew _me…the _old_ me.

But who was she? What did she want with me? She claimed to be a friend. But I've seen enough movies and read plenty of material in my life to know that the villain always tell you that they're an ally or pulling for you to win. When really, they're just looking to manipulate you for their own gains. _But maybe you're just over thinking things._

She calls herself _Nevva._

What a beautiful name. How many girls have a name like that? _Not many_. She was like _me_—someone who didn't belong here in this time and place. She said something about how that man revealed her true identity. What did that even mean? Why would someone else be stuck here in the Mass Effect Universe with me? And if that's the case, then there'd have to be more along with her, right? Things were starting to heat up. For now, I guess I would just have to wait, and do what Shepard would do. That's what Nevva said. Follow Shepard's path, and when the time was right, she would find me again. But what puzzled me more than anything was what she said after that.

_Then the adventure really begins._

Something was on the horizon. I don't believe Nevva would do anything to harm me. She seemed genuine enough, and meeting with me didn't exactly benefit her in any way. Either way, this meeting rejuvenated me. For once in a long while, I was determined to finish something I started.

I left Flux immediately following that encounter. Chora's Den was about a fifteen minute walk from the upscale club—including the time it'd take for the elevators to transport me. My crew was waiting there. Hopefully they had some good news for me regarding Fist and his whereabouts. I wasn't going to leave that place without knowing exactly where he'd be. And more importantly, wherever Tali went, even though I had a good idea. _Follow Shepard's path. Do what he would do._

It was going to be hard imitating him…Shepard, I mean. But now more than ever, I was up for the challenge. I wasn't just doing this for the galaxy anymore. There was so much more at stake. Reality-breaking. Earth-shattering. For me to be here…it was an abomination. A perversion of the laws of both physics and nature. Someone fucked with my life, and Nevva's.

It was time I find out who.


	4. Shade of Gray

Shade of Gray

"And you're sure that Fist's men are there?"

"_Positive. We counted twenty armed guards scattered throughout the entire premises. All of them are inside the club_."

"Any kind of breakdown at what we're looking at here?"

"_Five Krogan, two Turians and the rest are human._"

"Shouldn't be a problem, then."

"_As long as Fist is still here. There's no way of us knowing that unless we blow our cover._"

"Well, I'm on my way. I'll be there soon enough, regardless. Good work, Ashley."

"_Thanks sir_."

"Keep me posted if anything else happens."

"_Roger_."

I deactivate my Omni-Tool and stare at an incredible scene on the upper terrace of the Ward's marketplace. The Destiny Ascension was making its rounds past an arm of the Citadel. It maneuvered with pride, crossing over a picturesque nebula in what seemed like a slow motion sequence. The sight was absolutely breathtaking, a silent reminder as to why I needed to help this universe by acting as Shepard. Nevva was right. I had to do what _he_ would do. It was the only way to ensure the safety of billions! Failure to heed those orders could be potentially catastrophic. If you really want to get into it, then look no further than the very existence of organic life. It was threatened by a space faring, sentient race of hybrid creatures hell-bent on eradicating the advanced races of people that existed today. That's a lot of shit to swallow.

I should have left Flux immediately to rejoin my crew in Chora's Den, but I needed a minute to myself. Time to sit, think, and relax a bit before embarking on one of the most harrowing experiences that I was about to ever take in my life. Hell, this journey was probably more important than anything any human has _ever _done. That's saying a lot. Thinking about it like that scares the living shit out of me. But, what more can I do? I never asked for this. It was _given_ to me. Forced onto me as if I was the perfect person for the job. But, if I was here, then what happened to the real Commander Shepard? Is he dead? Did he swap places with me? I was far past the point of confusion. This was pure madness. Just when I was beginning to assimilate myself into this new environment, I get pulled out once more and eased onto another train of thought. Another piece of the bigger picture.

I wasn't from here. I at least knew this. And so did Nevva—the beautiful girl who met me back in Flux. She was 'perfect' in every sense of the word. Obviously, most guys have a dream girl made up to hold as a standard to other girls they meet in their lifetime. You know, great ass, beautiful face with symmetrical features, shiny hair, slender legs, maybe even a flawless complexion. Truth is I wasn't like most guys. I know, you've probably heard that a million times before, right?

But…I actually _am_ different.

The one quality of hers that struck me the most were her eyes. Those lively eyes twisted into a mass of orange and red—a flame of importance. A flavor of something better than what this world had to offer. Here I go getting all sentimental on you. I would apologize but I mean every word of it. Some know me as a hopeless romantic, and well, it's true. But I don't wear my heart on my sleeve. Plenty of small scale experiences taught me that in High school. It's almost like-

Wait a minute. Did I just say _High school_?

I was starting to remember. Friends, classrooms, playing baseball with my teammates. Holy shit! It was really starting to come back to me! Granted, these new memories weren't much to go on, but I figured it was a start. I remember teachers lecturing us in a classroom, standing for the pledge before our morning classes, getting dressed in the locker room right before a big game, feeling anxious and determined to win.

I shake my head and clear myself. This was too much to bear. My past, my present—both were colliding at a million miles per second. A convergence of catastrophic measure. At least, that's how I picture it. Sometimes I get carried away with description and I exaggerate things. Like I said before, I have a huge imagination. So, just roll with the punches when I throw them, okay?

_Where do I even begin?_

If I remember correctly, there were four main planets that we'd eventually have to visit. There was Therum, Feros, Noveria and Virmire. Every kid dreams of something like this, an epic conquest dealing with the glitz and glamour. I couldn't help but feel like Nevva's appearance just throws everything out of the window. This broke every rule in the book. I don't remember her ever being a part of the "cast." It was so…odd. Then again, me being Shepard and all…

I did some exploring. Walked around the market for a bit, noticing both merchants and customers going about their business in a fairly civilized manner. A few people would occasionally turn to look my way. I even got one of those point and stare gestures from a group of C-Sec officers who sat in an unmanned shuttle. They were probably off-duty or on a lunch break. The Citadel was a welcoming place to be for the most part. I was seeing that now. I'm sure there were the shitty places—Cantina's, slummy apartment complexes, even gang-run territory nearing the underbelly of the station. Though, all of that cast aside, the Citadel was pretty serene. Definitely a step up from the grittier destinations in the galaxy.

I'm looking at you _Omega_.

I decide to hail a cab, longing to see what it actually felt like to float around the wards. It was cool, but not as fun as I thought it'd be. Kind of like a rollercoaster ride back on Earth. Except, you can't feel gravity rip your stomach to pieces. I see a ton of people walking into an arena down below at one of the Emporiums. It looked like some kind of band was playing there, a huge banner displaying the name, "Expel 10," was plastered onto one of the outer walls. A ton of kids around my age, well before the whole 'growing into Shepard's body phase' overcame me at least, were eagerly waiting outside the entrance.

I didn't really know where I was going. The transparent control panel gave me a few options. Part of which was transportation to Chora's Den. I wasn't sure how I felt about the whole scenario. I thought I had a good fix on the likely outcome, but you never really know what can happen I guess. Being here taught me that. Chora's Den was supposed to be visited twice by Shepard. Once to make contact with Harkin, and then…well, I think you can figure the rest out. This time we were taking Fist head on. And, there were innocent people partying it up inside. Which meant casualties. I didn't want the lives of civilians to be on my hands. Was it really worth it? I could just skip over the Fist event if I wanted too, and then make my way to the dimly lit alley where Tali would meet the Shadow Broker's agents. That way, the only people that die are the ones worth killing. I think that was the best route. I select the Chora's Den option on the control panel. A computerized voice asks me if this was where I want to go.

"Yes," I say.

The cab violently lurches to the right. It nearly collides with a C-Sec vehicle as it adjusts its navigational response.

"Whoa!" I shout, "Take it easy there, tin-can."

I don't even know why I bothered talking to the thing, but it kind of made me feel better. This cab was really moving. I sped past a few large buildings and markets, wondering when it was going to start heading inward, near the central ring of the Citadel. That's somewhat closer to where Chora's Den was located in the Wards. But for some strange reason, the car was leading me away—towards the purple nebula found outside the safety of the Citadel's walls.

"Where the hell are you bringing me?"

One more turn brings my car in-step with heavy traffic. This looked like some kind of Main Street. Towering skyscrapers and bustling alleys make up the scenery, offering little to no room for error. The sight of the Citadel in this fashion—up close and personal—blew me away. I was ecstatic. It was like New York City on crack. Neon lights, alien languages posted on buildings. Video screens playing out News reports. And to top it all off, space was only a quick glance away.

Looking up through the roof of the cab, I see it all—the stars and random constellations, though the icing on the cake was the cloudy material that masked full visibility. I had never seen anything like this before. Not in person anyways. It reminded me of Earth. There were only a couple of variations in weather and color scheme on our planet—sunny and yellow; cloudy and gray; cold and white. For each season there was a color. But here, the full beauty of space filled your view. And my God was it beautiful.

"_Entering Dado Corporation."_

"Dado what?"

"_Dado Corporation is home to the galaxy's largest manufacturer in electronic warfare. Founded in 2125. The company is operated and owned by its sole chief operating officer-"_

"What the fuck is going on?" I yell, "Bring me to Chora's Den!"

"_Warning. Primary navigational functions overridden_."

"Fuck my life." I bang the center console with my fist. "Last time I ever take a taxi in this city."

The cab rapidly ascends, dodging yet another line of incoming traffic. There was a huge possibility that I wouldn't even live past this ride, let alone make it to…wherever I was going! Why was this cab bringing me here in the first place?

The Dado Corporation or whatever the hell it was called must have been a popular and successful enterprise, because their headquarters was absolutely _huge_. I mean, gargantuan windows, statues shooting out gorges of water into elaborate looking fountains and baths, attendants everywhere on the floor level, taxi's lined up on the streets—not to mention the sight of people rushing in and out of the building in what seemed like a mad dash to stock up for Armageddon.

And yet, my cab still travels higher into the sky.

_When will this thing stop?_

It was like a never ending joyride across space. The cab was about to break through the last line of traffic above. The revelation made me feel sick. What if there was a serious problem with its programming? Maybe the jet or propulsion meters were off, or perhaps the micro computer was chipped? To tell you the truth, I knew nothing of automobiles or vehicles that _floated_ for that matter. I knew only the basics. And right now, I could tell that something was seriously wrong. I never requested this. I didn't even know a Dado Corporation existed. And now, I was about to get the full tour.

I check my Omni-Tool and notice that Ashley and the rest of the crew hadn't updated me in over half an hour. Hopefully they were okay. Then again, I wonder what they were thinking about _me_. That I went AWOL? That I was dead? Honestly, I was probably going to die at the rate this thing was traveling anyways.

I could see the top of the skyscraper. It was a stunning sight. The company name was plastered along the front portion of the building, letting everyone know who ruled this place. A lone helipad stretched from the single penthouse suite overlooking the rest of the city. Huge windows, golden trimmed doors and openings, black marble décor. Damn was it good to be the CEO of this place.

The cab slowly came to a halt just above the helipad. I could see an older looking man standing in front of the doors that lead to the suite. I couldn't get a good look of him from this distance, which didn't exactly matter, because he made his way toward me. My cab lands on the pad and shuts off. There was no way I could turn it back on from here. It seemed broken.

"Piece of shit taxi…" I mutter, lifting the door open.

The man kept his pace. I could tell as he drew near that he wasn't old after all. He was 40, maybe even 50 years old with a medium build and long, gray hair. He wore a flawless white suit—the equivalent of Armani or Versace back on Earth.

_Impressive._

He smiles as he approaches me. _Strange_. You'd think he'd be pissed about someone landing on his rooftop. I had no meeting, no reserved appointment, nothing.

"Welcome, _Commander_!" He exclaims, stretching his arms wide. "I'm so glad you could make it." He takes a step closer to me before laughing.

"You look so surprised. Don't you know who I am?"

I raise my hands into the air and step back towards the cab. This guy was giving off strange vibes. What gives?

"I'm sorry sir. This cab seemed to have malfunctioned. I didn't mean to invade upon your priv-"

"Nonsense! No, no. I'm glad you came, Commander."

He cocks his head to the side, motioning for me to follow him.

"You can say that I was…expecting you."

_Great. Now you just landed in a giant pile of flaming shit. You better hope that taxi can still function. You may need it soon._

"Really?" I ask, following him into the suite, "Have we met before?"

He laughs, brushing part of his hair from his face.

"You have history, _Shepard_. There's not a being in this galaxy who doesn't know your name."

_That would make sense if I was a Spectre already. I'm not buying it._

"Is that so? Well, what are they saying about me?"

We pass the golden trimmed doors and enter the decadent suite. I can honestly say that I've never seen something quite like this before either. The moment we step foot into the large room, the lights dim low, forcing my eyes to adjust to the surrounding area. I could make out some movement in the corner of the room but I figured that was just my mind playing tricks with me. A woman's voice soon fills my ears. Some kind of surround sound communications system was set up in here.

"_Welcome back Lord Damian."_

The man turns to face me—a tiny smile creeps his lips.

"A nice touch, isn't it?"

I smile and play the part. Something tells me that I _should_ be playing by his rules. I was kind of helpless at the moment, sucked in by some kind of technical glitch thanks to that damn taxi cab. I had nowhere to go but down. And let me tell you, it was a long way down. Very long.

"This place is marvelous." I notice an elaborate set of statues upholstered to the back wall. Abstract figures twisting in strange ways. Some were charred black, others dotted with gold. This man was very wealthy. These trinkets simply confirmed that more times over than anything else could.

Two women dressed in white suddenly appear, both of them were carrying a glass filled with a clear liquid. Maybe water? Possibly something more _exotic_? I knew what was going on. This guy was buttering me up for something.

The question is…what does he want?

"Please, sit." He motions toward the couch. It looked comfortable at least. Sure enough, it _was_. Like sitting on a cloud. But the thought just brings me back to that dream-like world filled with warm days and sober nights. Not something that I'd wish to relive again.

"Dahlia, Xedra…leave us be." He dismisses the two women with a wave of his hand. They swiftly exit the room and disappear behind the automatic doors. After a moment of silence, he speaks.

"There's a reason you're here now." His sunny disposition vanishes in an instant. Replacing it was a cold demeanor that you would imagine occupied this man's face on a regular basis. His voice drops from that of a proud parent to a seemingly cold hermit—a reluctant vagabond testing the waters.

"Tell me everything you know," He says as his eyes dart across the room.

_What the hell is this?_

"I-I'm not sure what you mean, sir…"

"It's Damian. And that's _bullshit_, James. You know exactly what's going on!"

"Whoa!" I hold my hand up, "How do you know my name?"

He smirks and takes his seat across from me. "Are you fucking with me right now?" He asks.

_Be careful. He may appear like a friend. But let's be real, this guy is a wealthy businessman looking for something. He's either playing you for a fool, or he knows your situation._

But how can he know?

"No. I don't remember meeting you before, I'm sorry. If you could just fill me in, then maybe I can connect the dots."

"Right…" He muses, "How to _connect_ the dots…?" He stands from his chair and begins pacing back and forth. It took him a minute to work up some sort of response. He turns and looks into my eyes, his stare burning through my empty gaze.

"So, you figured it out then."

"Figured what out, exactly?"

"That you're different."

I can feel my heart beating faster now. How did this guy know that I was different? He could be bluffing, but what were the chances? Maybe he was like Nevva. Maybe he-

"You met with her, didn't you?"

_Whoa._

"Who?" I ask

"Don't play dumb with me, James! Did you meet the bitch or not?" His eyes widen, and for a second I _swear_ that they changed colors. Those cool eyes of his momentarily glowed a deep green, a solid hue reflecting his bitter frustration. Though, it was so fleeting that I probably just imagined it.

_Do I tell this man about Nevva? Would it endanger her?_

"I've met a lot of people in my lifetime, Damian."

He faces the city. It looked beautiful from here. All of the different lights blurred together to form a kaleidoscope of sorts.

"Nevva. Her name is Nevva."

My suspicions were correct. He knew. My God he must have known everything. About me being here, about Nevva and Raxus! Was he the one responsible for me like this? For me in Shepard's _body_? Could he be the key to it all?

"I…don't know what to say."

Damian makes his way closer to me, never taking his eyes off of the cityscape. An inflection of sadness cascades his tone.

"You wonder why you're here, James?"

I hold my composure, choosing to listen to what he had to say without showing any emotion. I wouldn't dare speak now. Too much was on the line. Here was a question I had been wanting—no—_yearning_ for since the beginning. Since making my way onto this station…

"It's because of _her_."

I feel whole lot of confusion washing over me.

"Nevva?" I ask.

"Yes." He grunts, "She's part of the reason we're all here."

"All?"

He leaves the window and makes his way towards the center of the room. In one smooth command, he calls upon the Virtual Intelligence.

"Mara, pull up the quantum feed."

"_Yes, Lord Damian_."

God was that freaky. This guy seemed plain enough…hell even _cool_ enough. But to be called a 'lord'? What the fuck kind of closet nut job was he? Because last time I checked, not many people in the Mass Effect Universe called themselves by the title of _lord_.

"Come here James. I want to show you something." He holds his hand out to me, almost like he wants me to take it. Fuck _that_, dude. I'll see what you've got to show me. But I'm Commander Shepard. I hold no one's hand.

The ground opens up, a rising panel equipped with video screens and transparent computer interfaces surfaces. Everything was decorated in a ghostly white hue. The screens quickly flicker to life, revealing the pictures of ten people total, including me. I skim the individuals, noticing Damian's headshot. However, Nevva was nowhere to be found. Neither was that dark guy, Raxus. I think that was his name. I didn't quite know how to react. Who were the rest of these people? What did they have to do with me?

"They're here too." He says softly.

"Nevva is the reason for all of this. She's a terrorist, James. I should have seen it coming."

Nevva? A terrorist? I didn't think it was possible. She seemed like a really honest and truthful girl. And, let's not forget how she told me to follow Shepard's path. She wants me to do the right thing. Why was he painting her out to be something horrible?

"I don't believe you." I reply, shaking my head. "I can't believe it."

Damian slams his hands down onto one of the keyboards, producing a loud 'banging' noise that echoes across the room.

"Dammit James! That's exactly how she operates! She tells you what you want to hear, promises you things, seducing you, and then she'll decimate, destroy, and conquer. She's a textbook strategist. Something you need to figure out firsthand." He scrolls through various articles and reports, coming across one interesting line in particular.

"You need to meet your friends in Chora's Den, find Tali, then present the evidence to the Council, correct?"

_How did he know that?_

"Yeah…" My eyes were fixed on the transparent screens. What did all of this mean? Was he some kind of futuristic sage?

"James. It's very important that you stay on this path. Do you understand?"

My head was spinning, unable to comprehend. _I shouldn't be here_. I sensed danger before, so why did I take the bait? My parents taught me to never talk to strangers. I know I'm grown up now, and Commander Shepard, but deep down I was a kid. I had a bad feeling about this guy. The gray haired, middle-aged man who wanted me to _be _Shepard. That's great and all. But, what was his problem with Nevva? She told me the exact same thing. Which brings me to another question. How do these people know Shepard's story? They knew of Mass Effect beforehand? This all seemed so wrong. Then again, I just needed to leave and get back to my crew.

I rise from my seat. Damian took the hint.

"Yes. I plan on saving the galaxy. Nothing less."

He smiles, revealing a row of perfectly white teeth.

"I'm glad that we see eye to eye. You'll come to know who your friends really are. Your memories will return to you, and soon enough, everything will make sense." He hands me some sort of communicator. It was a small cylindrical device that uploaded data to my Omni-Tool. I take it and stuff the thing into one of the small compartments on my belt.

"Why?" I ask, disregarding his previous statement, "Why do I have to do this? Why me?

The one question I wanted to ask since being here. Why was I sent to the Mass Effect Universe to carry out a task better suited for the _real _Commander Shepard? No one wanted to give me the full details. Not Nevva and certainly not this Damian character either. When was the madness going to end?

He immediately shuffles over to me, grabbing my shoulders with both of his hands. He looks me straight in the eye. I thought he was going to kiss me because the sideways look he cast was strange. But it wasn't anything weird in that way—he was sympathetic. Filled with what appeared to be regret.

"Because you volunteered."

"What…?"

"I've already said too much. If you don't make it to Chora's Den soon then Tali will die. So I suggest you hurry. You'll find the taxi outside is fully operational and will take you back to the Wards."

He makes his way to the balcony, checking back to see if I was following him. But I wasn't. Not even close. I was stuck in place, frozen just like that strange dream I had hours ago. No words would coerce me out of the state of shock. I was reeled in by true fear—a primal, guttural, carnal sense of fear that you wouldn't wish upon your worst enemy.

The next couple of minutes were a blur. My body was functioning, but my mind was lost—left wandering around the wilderness in search of hope

Damian led me out of the suite and into the taxi. He warned me about Nevva once more and how I needed to avoid her at all costs. It was all of the same shit I heard before. I get it, man. You hate the girl. But despite what she may or may not be, bigger things were at stake. Who cares if some girl was the cause of us being here?

If that's even true.

As soon as the taxi cleared the helipad, I sat back in my seat—my gaze was cast at the long line of traffic below. I couldn't help but think of what the day's events had just put me through. I landed in the Mass Effect Universe, discovered that I was Commander Shepard, walked around the Citadel, interacted with various people like Udina and Anderson, recruited both Wrex and Garrus, saw a firefight occur within close quarters.

Saw people _die_.

I think that was the most shocking thing of all these past few hours of me being here. Sure, being transported to another dimension or universe, or whatever you want to fucking call it took the cake as being the weirdest thing to happen to me. But, no matter where you are…seeing someone die will always feel wrong.

Then there was Nevva and Damian—two polar opposites. Nevva was beautiful, confident, mysterious, caring from what I could tell, and then there was _Damian_. Damian was sketchy, old, super powerful and wealthy, straight to the point, yet there was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way. Damian was the classic villain. But according to him, Nevva was the dangerous one. Why? None of this made any sense. These people claim that they know me. But I have no recollection of them at all.

I feel as if there's a much larger meaning to me being here. If there were others transported here to the Mass Effect Universe, then where were they? What did they make of their lives? How long had they been here? God. These fucking questions needed to be silenced. I needed answers. Sitting here in the taxi, I was at the mercy of the vehicle. Being stranded in Damian's ultra suite with nowhere to go but down, I was at a disadvantage. Waking up on the Normandy, I was helpless, like a newborn struggling to simply breathe and exist in a cold, new world. When was I going to start getting the lucky breaks?

My Omni-tool beeps. I check one of the screens and see that Ashley is paging me.

"It's about time," I say, before patching her through.

"_Commander. We have a problem."_

"What is it?"

"_It's Fist. He's leaving the club."_

"Okay, then follow him. I'm going to be there soon. I can rendezvous with the rest of the team when I reach the area."

"_There's something else." _

"What is that?" I wonder, while selecting the Chora's Den option on the control panel. The vehicle lurches forward at an impressive speed, maneuvering its way past slower vessels. At this rate, I would make it there in no time.

"_Fist has Tali_."

I clench my jaw, rejecting the urge to scream every curse word known to man and mer alike. This was really happening, though I couldn't be surprised. Ever since my arrival here, things had gone south. _Just one more obstacle to add to the list_. My thoughts flash back to what Damian and Nevva had told me. _Be _Shepard. Do what he would do. It was almost like a mantra for me now. Mirror Shepard's actions, James...just follow his example.

Well you know what I have to say?

Fuck _that_.

And screw everyone whoever told me to be someone that I wasn't. It was time I take matters into my own hands.

Tonight…Fist was going to die.


	5. Bleed Effect

Bleed Effect

"So, what now?"

I was staring at Nevva from across a table in some run-down bar located near the Zakera Wards. My sense of smell was dominated by the staunch aroma of piss and alcohol. It was your typical hole in the wall establishment, some kind of Cantina straight out of a scene from Star Wars. I never knew places like this existed on the Citadel, especially after having played the game. Though, I also never expected this to happen either. Running from damn near everyone in sight, Saren abducting Tali before my eyes. You learn something new every day I guess.

"You're Shepard. You tell me." Nevva was staring at me, her fiery eyes burned into mine.

I shrugged, signaling the patron for another drink.

"I never asked for this," I sighed, "It was forced onto me."

She brushes a strand of hair away from her face, looking toward me with a sympathetic gaze, encapsulating me in feelings I wish I could sulk in forever. I felt like absolute shit here. Her reaffirmation of my responsibilities was crippling. I couldn't handle this. Let's be completely real. Not only did I never sign up for this, but in all seriousness, what the fuck was a teenager going to do? I wasn't Shepard. Maybe these people thought I was but I knew the truth. I was a fake…some scared human wishing for peace and clarity, posing as the galaxy's savior. I was no better than the common civilian. Or that helpless savant back on Eden Prime. Miguel was his name, I think. That poor bastard predicted our demise. He knew the Reapers were coming all along. It's too bad I don't remember meeting him. Hopefully I didn't punch him out. That's not really my style.

_Well, at least I can drink to you tonight, buddy._

"James…"

I raised my sights, meeting her warm stare with reluctance.

"I know this whole thing is confusing. I even sometimes find myself in disbelief. Asking myself questions—like why we're here. What's the purpose? Who's behind all of this? Is it God? Or is it something else?"

She takes a sip of her drink, and then continues.

"The truth is, even _I_ don't know why all of this is happening. I'm scared, tired, angry…sad. Do you even know how many times I just wanted to cry?

She spread her hands across the dusty surface of the table.

"Just give up and walk out the closest airlock…" She lowered her gaze out of a sense of shame.

"If it wasn't for those people over there, I'd have ended up lost. Maybe even dead…" She motioned toward the room across from us. I turned to see a group of raggedy individuals engaged in conversation with my crew. I witnessed Wrex laughing—his head cocked back, touting some kind of exotic drink. Never thought I'd see that happen.

"It's not the same," I waved my hand through the air, "You don't have the same responsibilities that I have! _You_ don't save the galaxy. _You_ don't stop Saren…"

"_I_ do."

She leaned back in her chair, a look of disgust slowly stretching her face.

"You really think that you can save the galaxy? Despite Saren spitting in your face just moments ago?"

I nodded, my mind quickly racing back to that inevitable showdown between Saren and me. Why was he there? _How_ was he there? Honestly, me being in this place already screwed up so many different things within this Universe. I was like an experiment, some sort of catalyst added to a pot of various ingredients. Little did the chef know that I was fucking everything up.

"I think you need to get a clue, James."

"And why is that?"

She smiled—a subtle quip.

"You kidding me?"

"Well, last time I checked I was still Commander Shepard, so…"

"My God!" She shouted, "Even now you believe nothing is wrong. You think that the galaxy will just bend to your will?"

"No, but-"

"Let me help you out here," She chuckled, "It'll give you some perspective as to what we're now faced with accomplishing." She activated her Omni-Tool, gesturing toward me with her free hand.

"I want you to look at that."

I stretched my arm across the table and powered up my device, noticing that a new message had been sent. I opened it, witnessing a single holo-image pop up before my eyes. At first, I thought it was some kind of joke. But after taking a hard look at the evidence before me, I realized it was indisputable.

"It's not Sovereign."

I was looking at a Reaper—one massive, super-deluxe Reaper. I swear to God the thing was enormous. Probably a few kilometers longer _and_ wider than Sovereign. The thing was an absolute tank. A monster among the rest of its kind. Why was Nevva showing me this now? What does it have to do with me saving the galaxy?

"What am I looking at exactly?"

She tinkered with her Omni-Tool, adjusting the view of the Reaper so that its detailed exoskeleton came into focus.

"It's a Reaper. But not like the rest."

I tried to decipher some kind of distinguishing quality just by looking at the thing. But, I couldn't tell the difference between this and its supposed counterparts. All Reapers tend to look alike in my eyes.

"How can you tell?"

"Despite it being larger than your typical Reaper, there are some behavioral issues that-"

"Wait!" I stopped her, holding my hand up in the air, "Before we get into this…"

"…whatever _this_ is," I motioned to the figure, slowly bringing my gaze back onto her.

"Who are you?"

It was the only question I had dwindling up there in my chaotic-filled mind. Ever since I met her, Nevva had been a mystery. Some girl who supposedly knew who I was in this world. _Not_ Commander Shepard, but _James_. Pretty pathetic, really. I needed someone else to tell me what my name was. How can you forget something as simple as a name? Is that even possible?

She smiled, deactivating her Omni-Tool.

"You want the long story, or the shorter version?"

_How much do you really want to know?_

"I have time," I answered, shifting myself into a more comfortable position.

"Unless we have somewhere else to be?"

She laughed, her eyes locked in on the opposite room across from us. She held onto a smile, and after a few moments of silence, I could tell she was thinking about something.

"Tell you what…"

She stood from her seat and made her way to the nearest exit, motioning for me to follow.

"Let's go for a walk."

* * *

The gloom of perpetual twilight flickered across my gaze, my sights set on the northern horizon as Nevva and I stood before a large statue. Its surface was marred by some kind of organic decay, most likely from years of sitting in this spot, placed in the thick of the slums for the lower ward citizens to abuse. It depicted some sort of Krogan legend, a great warrior who stood before insurmountable odds, faced with sure death. Only seconds left before his life would end. A real moment captured in stone and metal.

In a way, I could relate. Not like my life was actually interesting…well, okay, that's an obvious lie. Becoming Commander Shepard was pretty damn life-changing and exciting, though, before _that_ I was fairly normal. Luckily, after having met Nevva for the first time my memories began surfacing. And, oddly enough, the more time I spent with her, the easier it was for me to remember.

I needed those memories—now more than ever. And, to be brutally honest…I felt naked without them. Here is some kid, strolling around in a grown man's body (which happened to be mine), making an attempt at saving the galaxy. That included shooting people, running around on dangerous planets, making life altering decisions, making sacrifices. This whole goddamn situation was a complete mess. It called for some kind of leader to take the reins. At this moment, I could easily say that I was no leader. I don't even know who I am yet. What kind of person was I? Did I lead the pack, or follow it?

"So, how do I tell you this without freaking you out?" Nevva was staring off into a fountain next to the statue, her fiery eyes fixated on the water as it churned from the cyclical motions.

_That's a pretty interesting way to start the conversation._

"Nothing you say at this point can freak me out," I skip a pebble across the fountain, watching as it sinks to the bottom of the depths. "So try me."

She turns to face me, her hand making its way onto my shoulder.

"You sure?" She asks, her eyes now piercing mine.

_She's so beautiful._

"I can take it," I reassure her, casting my gaze once more to the statue.

"If you say so." She walks toward a massive skyscraper off in the distance. It looked like some kind of financial district up ahead. Maybe even a market of sorts. In seconds I joined her.

"Before I came into this world, I experienced something. It was some kind of strange dream. A plane of existence that left me numb with no sense of self. It was…weird."

_Seems like I'm not the only one, then. Interesting._

"It went on for days, maybe even months. I'm not entirely sure. Regardless, it finally stopped. Then I somehow ended up here," She gestured with her hand, palm facing the sky. "The same thing happened to the rest of my team."

"Who are they?" I asked, "I mean, what did they do in the real world?"

She shook her head, her pace now slowing.

"They don't remember," She answered, "And neither do I."

I came to a stop, waiting for her to turn back and face me. I was met with her sympathetic gaze once more, though; I could see a fleck of true sadness enter those orange-red eyes of hers. It made me feel an emptiness that I hadn't felt in a long time. She was telling the truth. She had to be.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my arms flailing wildly in the air, "You told me that-"

"I never said I held all the answers!" She deflected, "I only know who you are…to _some_ degree."

"That really helps me out a lot, Nevva, thanks," I replied sarcastically.

"How do I know I can trust you?"

Her pace picks up again, forcing me to increase my length of stride just to remain beside her.

"Do you honestly know how stupid that sounded?" She chuckled.

"I just saved your life, James. I don't see anyone else doing the same."

_She has a point, you know._

"I heard a saying once…"

I looked over to her, "It kind of reminds me of you."

"Oh?" She wondered, "And what is that?"

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

"Wow," She replied, "I know you're not pulling the antagonist card on me right now!"

"I'm afraid I just did."

She slapped my shoulder, a large smile easily made its way across her face.

"I think we're going to get along just _fine_!"

"God," I mused, "You're one walking cliché'!"

She laughed, "And you're a bloody asshole!"

_Well, now that you've broken the ice, it's time to figure some shit out. Press her for it._

We came up on a block jam-packed with different stores. Some of them even sold weaponry, though I thought nothing of it. In a galaxy filled with violence and oppression, this was most likely common. Back on Earth and in the United States for that matter, you would never find a weapons store positioned out in the open. Well, maybe you would find an arms dealer in the U.S. Except, the Citadel was kind of like a mall from the 21st Century. No way would you expect to see someone selling guns in your local mall. I don't care where you lived, it just didn't happen. And if it did, then I would be shocked.

"Do you have any idea why we'd be here, Nevva? Any idea at all?"

"Raxus and the rest of us came up with a theory…"

"Let me hear it."

"You see," She started, "It all came down to who we were, eventually…"

"What do you mean?"

"There are six of us as you know already. We all just…appeared here at different times."

She walked over to a rail that lined a large pond. A few fountains dotted the center of the display. The soft pattering of the water on its return trip into the pool was the only sound which rang my ears.

"Raxus was the first to arrive, "She motioned towards the pond, "And I was the second."

I tried making sense of what she was telling me. If what she said was true, then who the hell was doing this? How was this possible in the slightest bit?

"So, when did this all happen?"

"I was thrust into this world a little over a month ago." She replied, "Raxus was a bit of another story."

"What happened with him?"

"Well…"

She turned, looking me dead in the eye.

"He woke up on Omega…"

"Damn," I said, "It's a good thing you two met soon after."

"We didn't."

I raised my brow, curious as to what she meant by that.

"What do you mean? I don't understand…"

"Raxus met me here on the Citadel. He found me when I showed up. He, on the other hand, has been here longer than any of us combined."

"And how long is that?" I wondered.

"Three years."

Holy shit. Just when I thought _I_ had it bad, here was this rough looking African man Raxus. The guy was here for three years before anyone ever found him. Before anyone like him appeared here to help him through this process. I would be terrified. Scared shitless, even.

"That's…"

"He's a tough man. He didn't have it as bad as you think. He also knows the most out of us all."

"Oh, well, that's good at least."

"It is, considering the rest of us had no idea why this happened."

"So, what does Raxus think?" I asked.

She turned and continued her walk.

"He thinks that we were chosen. That every single facet of this was planned."

"Chosen for what?" I wondered, feeling like my heart was about to burst from the anticipation of discovering the truth at last.

"For a test. Some sort of game."

"What?" I seethed, "That's the best he came up with?"

"I never said I believed in it…" She reminded me, "That's just what he thinks."

_There has to be more to this._

"And what do you think?" I asked.

We came upon an entrance to some sort of scum-ridden hangar bay—a really rusty and suspicious-looking port that seemed to act as a temporary parking garage for your everyday galactic smuggler. Or your neighborhood drug lord. I heard that Red Sand was in these days.

Nevva swiftly entered the automatic doorway, turning to face me.

"I think you need to check out your new ship."

* * *

I don't know about you, but whenever I watched an epic movie dealing with lasers, spaceships, outer space and a whole lot of action, the good guys usually had some sort of awesome ride they'd use to swoop in and do damage with. You know, battle against their opposition in style. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be receiving that luxury. Nevva lured me to an occupied slip in the dirty hangar bay. We soon came upon a vessel that I would forever call, "The Forge." A ship composed of differing parts, molded together to create an entirely new invention—something for interstellar travel. Something that we were going to use to defeat Saren and stop the Reapers. It was hard to believe this thing could fly, let alone remain intact and in one piece.

"Well, what do you think?"

Nevva was pointing through the glass viewing window, looking for some sort of reaction out of me as she turned to catch me staring. My heart dropped the moment I laid eyes upon it. A piece of shit vehicle that was still somehow in working condition. I swear if you were here, looking at this heap of metal slapped together, you'd probably either laugh or faint.

"It's not the Normandy…"

"No, it's definitely not." She could sense my disappointment, "But it'll get us from point A to B—isn't that all we need?"

I rubbed my hand over the window, wiping away grime and dust, my gaze trained on the ship ahead.

"You sure this thing can fly?"

"Oh come on!" She shouted, "It's not _that_ bad. Besides, the Normandy isn't even an option at this point. Udina and Anderson would never give the right up to you now that Tali's been kidnapped, and the evidence gone with her. You'd just be wasting your time."

I shrugged, "If you say so. But, I think we'd be better off with a stealthy prototype ship like _that_, instead of…"

I waved out toward the _Forge_—the dull and uninspired train-wreck that we were about to board for God knows how long.

"…this thing."

"Hmph," She shuffled over to the door, motioning for me to follow.

"Come on, don't you want to see what's inside?"

I was a little hesitant at first, but I realized that I had no say in this matter. Nevva was right, there was no way I was going to fulfill the normal Shepard arc. The Normandy was no longer a resource I could rely on. It just wasn't happening. Though, I at least had my crew. And, joining us would be Nevva and her band of misfits. They each had a story—all of them ending up here like me. Sure, some slight variations happened along the way—some big, others small. Like me being Shepard for instance. That's kind of a big one, though, the biggest of all had to be the reason. The why's, who's, and how's—all questions that we we're chasing in one way or another.

"Isn't she a beauty?"

God _damn_. Nevva was trying hard to impress me with this piece of shit vessel. Like, I get it…we're flying this cruddy vessel into the unknown, through future trials and tribulations to defeat the evil-doers once and for all. That's cool. Really, it is. But let's move past all of the bullshit, shall we?

"I guess you could say that…" I ran my fingers alongside its cool metallic frame, noticing a low hum—some sort of vibration.

"How are the shields on this thing?" I asked.

Nevva giggled, her hand brushing away a loose strand of hair.

"Shielding? That's unfortunately a pipe dream."

Great. We were going to be flying around dangerous planets, Geth, Saren and Reapers without any type of protective barrier. Just kill me now. It'd probably involve less suffering at this point.

"How are we going to live without shielding?"

"You may be surprised," She answered, opening the portside hatch. She entered the _Forge_, pulling me by my hand and leading me inside. I don't know too much about ships, but I think I can tell the nice ones from the sloppy ones. This thing was probably the sloppiest. Loose wires scattered across the floor caused me to nearly trip over myself as we headed toward the bridge. This thing really was a scrap ship composed of varying sheets of metal. Amazing. And here I thought I had made the right decision in following Nevva. One look inside here made me rethink everything.

That's until I saw who was sitting at the controls in the cockpit.

A man sat in front of a long display of screens—some depicting system readouts of the poorly designed ship, others throwing out information regarding flight patterns and vectors. Most of the shit was foreign to me, and out of a sheer sense of luck I was able to guess at what the rest was. Regardless, the man stared straight ahead, ignoring both Nevva and me as we stood there, awkwardly, waiting for a proper introduction. He was decked out in a dark leather vest and black jeans—extremely casual wear for someone of this era. Though, his token hat was fastened tightly atop his head, distinguishing him from most every pilot I had ever seen in my life. You could never forget a look like that—a fully recognizable style—ultimately unique for someone of this Universe.

Jeff Moreau.

It was Joker.

"Holy shit…"I said aloud, "How did you find him?"

The legendary pilot turned to face me, a cheesy grin forcing its way across his face.

"Oh, me?" He snickered, "Well…Nevva and I go _way_ back."

Nevva simply rolled her eyes at the comment, shrugging it off like it was some kind of immature pubescent bash. Completely normal. Not even weird in the slightest bit. I, on the other hand, was miffed—completely mystified as to what in the hell was going on. Joker, here? Nevva certainly had some explaining to do.

"Care to explain how you two met?" I clenched my jaw, feeling pissed off about being in the dark once more.

Nevva spoke first, sensing my anger. She was good at reading my emotions.

"I contacted Joker a few months ago in anticipation of the…event." She winked at me. An obvious motion for secrecy as to what she _really_ meant. There was no sense in Joker knowing the whole truth, because honestly, he wouldn't understand any of it. Not even I could understand this. Not yet.

"She told me everything Shepard." He motioned toward Nevva, "About Saren, the council, the Quarian looking to nail that Turian bastard for what he'd done on Eden Prime…" He paused, casting his gaze at the floor.

"Told me about what would happen once the shit hit the fan…"

Curious. I pressed him on that matter, interrupting his train of thought.

"And what was going to happen?" I asked, "What did she tell you?"

He raised his sights, his eyes piercing my gaze.

"Nevva told me that the Alliance was going to give up. That they were going to ground me, cycle out our remaining crew, and use the ship on meaningless stealth operations around the galaxy."

"Meaningless?" I wondered, "You'd pass up an opportunity to fly the Normandy?" I found that a little hard to believe. What kind of black magic did Nevva work on him?

"Yeah Shepard. Meaningless, kind of like those hyped up tour runs we'd give around lifeless systems? Don't you remember? That whole thing back on Eden Prime was a blessing in disguise…a random act of kindness sent to us from some transcendent deity! Flying that ship was amazing, don't get me wrong. I fell in love with the Normandy." He motioned around, his hands pointing to broken wires and cracked plating.

"Now I have this."

"You made the wrong choice, Joker."

"But I didn't!" He shook his head, his hands placed firmly in his lap, "None of that matters anymore. I wasn't in it for the look. I wanted some kind of adventure. Something _more_."

He slumped back in his chair. "Once the Alliance took that away, the possibility of some type of future fighting the bad guys and saving the galaxy, I decided to leave. Nevva just made it _that_ much easier."

His eyes locked on to her. She leaned against the doorway, her hands folded across her stomach.

"And I mean…" Joker gestured toward Nevva, "Look at her."

Ah, another Moreau joke. I loved the guy. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't like I was acting like a d-bag just out of spite, but because this seemed too convenient. At first, Nevva tells me she knows little more than I do. Then, she plans this intricate web of deception and foresight. It seemed a bit sketchy to me, that's all. I looked around the ship, taking mental pictures of the inner chamber.

"Where's our first stop?"

Joker cast Nevva a nervous glance.

"You didn't tell him?"

_Note to self: Make sure you stay informed from now on._

"Tell me what?"

Nevva made her way over to the main console, leaning into one of the screens as she activated her Omni-Tool. She seemed to be downloading information of some sort. In time, she turned to face both Joker and me. In one motion, she waved her hand, the Omni-Tool glowing as it buzzed and whirred. A holo-projection of a single ship came into focus. The thing was like some sort of dreadnaught. An elongated hyper structure positioned in place, stationary within some kind of erratic atmosphere.

"We need to go to Hagalaz." She stated, turning to face me.

"Are you familiar with the Shadow Broker, James?"

I nodded, noticing how fucked up this all was. We were supposed to stop Saren, yet, now we were headed for a place that shouldn't be visited for another two years. Why? What purpose does this serve? The way things had been going so far, it was 'shoot first ask questions later'. Might as well follow the code until things become too far gone. But, how long was I supposed to follow this plan? I didn't exactly feel comfortable leading my people into the unknown regions if you know what I mean, but if Nevva thought this was best…

"I'll fill you in on the details later, James," Nevva commented, "Right now, we have to get going."

"Right," I nodded, "We'll have time to talk later…"

"You bet."

She contacted the rest of her crew, as well as mine, telling them that departure was in half an hour, leaving them with plenty of time to catch up with us. I decided to make haste for the nearest room with a bed, or at least some semblance of furniture I could sleep on. I found a small but comfortable room tucked near the tail end of the ship. It could probably fit five people on a good day, give or take. It was quiet—everything I needed during a time of inner turmoil and stress. Sleeping would be good for me. My body felt weary, not just from the revelation of what has become of my life, but of the day's events. The past 24 hours had been a living hell—shooting, running, killing, talking, learning, discovering. And now, traveling. Was it ever going to end?

But, what about Nevva? Something was nagging me, clawing at my mind as if to make me aware that something was wrong with this picture. She shouldn't know more than me, right? Unless everything that had happened to her had been a lie. Unless she really was someone else. The thought has crossed my mind, believe it or not. That she was some ultra secretive spy sent by Cerberus or some bad guy trying to lure me and lead me astray.

_You need to sleep. Can't even think straight_.

I wrapped myself in some kind of warm blanket I found draped over the bed, retracting my legs from under my torso, assuming the fetal position. So comfortable here. I could feel my body drift off into some kind of limbo—a world familiar to me, a place that seems to exist at the edge of my subconscious. It was what I needed anymore—just a place where I can exist—nothing more, nothing less. I embraced this feeling, and in seconds, my body went numb.

Darkness consumed me.


	6. Illuminator

**AN: Hope you are enjoying the story so far! It only gets better from here. Remember to leave a review!**

* * *

Illuminator

"Hey…skipper? You awake?"

I could hear a soft voice breaking through my dreamy state, pulling me back into the reality I was so ready to leave in what seemed like moments ago. I crack my back, twisting myself from beneath the covers, stretching my limbs as far as they could possibly go without accidentally dislocating them. Then came the heavy burden of deep breathing. You know what I hated most about mornings? That they just straight up sucked. Having your body wake up after a long day's worth of activities was like facing a big cloud of depression head on. You always loathed the experience, yet, you knew that it would pass soon enough. You just had to put the effort in to actually get by it.

I moaned, turning over in my bed to see Ashley standing above me. She appeared to be calm. That at least indicated that we weren't in any immediate danger, so I just rolled back onto my side, propping the pillow up over my head.

"Oh, come on!" She chuckled, "We'll be on Hagalaz soon. You should probably get something to eat."

My response was another moan.

"Nevva told _me_ to tell _you_ that it was time…to get…up!" She yanked the blanket from under me.

"Please mom, just another five minutes!" I whined.

"_Mom_?" She answered incredulously, "Oh, hell no. I don't look _that_ old, do I?"

"Easy there, Williams. I was kidding."

She laughed, slapping me across the shoulder. "I think I can take a joke…sir."

"You can call me by my name you know," I suggested, reaching to take her hand. She lifted me up and off the bed.

"Old habits die hard, I guess," She shrugged.

"Not with that attitude, chief."

"Commander…" Ashley pulled up an image on her Omni-Tool—it appeared to be the Shadow Broker's vessel. She had a puzzled look about her as she studied it for a few moments in silence.

"Why exactly are we here?" She asked, holding the device in front of my sights, "Shouldn't we be trying to follow Saren? Maybe even contact the Alliance and let them know we're here?"

She shook her head, gesturing to no one in particular, "I don't know…this just doesn't feel right."

"What doesn't feel right?" I asked, making my way for the bridge, "The whole vagabond part, or following some random girl across the galaxy?"

"You don't think this is sketchy in any way?" She studied my face, her eyes scrambling wildly for some sort of sign or revelation as we continued down the tight hallway.

"It's not ideal," I answered, "But this is our best shot at Saren. It may not seem like it now, but I have faith that things will end up in our favor."

Ashley grinned, turning to break away from me as she made haste for the engineering room. "It's funny…"

"That's exactly what Nevva said."

She disappeared around the corner, leaving me in solace as I decided to continue on. I soon came upon the main hub of the ship, noticing that Wrex and Garrus were gathered around a table with three of Nevva's companions. Though, I guess that made them my companions now too. Come to think of it, I never really made an effort in getting to know them, besides that Raxus guy. But, a nodding gesture doesn't really count, I take it. They were engaged in some kind of conversation—perhaps a good one from the looks of it. I overheard them talking strategy—entry and exit plans, tactical procedures, possible medical dilemmas. It was like they were preparing to go to war. I didn't want to distract them, so I continued my walk towards the cockpit, because I figured that Nevva would be there.

Sure enough, she was. I found her staring at a large screen above Joker. Her head trained forward, raised slightly—an iconic kind of glance that a leader would be seen giving. In a way, Nevva would have made a much better Shepard than I could ever hope to be. It was the way she carried herself, that confident and cool attitude she wore despite the fact that hell was literally engulfing everything in sight. We were stranded in a world unknown to us—a place unfamiliar at best. And yet here she was, maneuvering her way as best as she possibly could. I could only wonder where she was taking us. Figuratively, that is. I knew we were headed for the Shadow Broker's vessel…but for what? What purpose would this serve in the long run? From what I could remember, the Broker's vessel was loaded with super computers and information terminals that could be used to gather intel of nearly anything. The Broker could influence intergalactic conflicts with one stark order. Though, Shepard never visited Hagalaz until the second act.

So…why are we here now?

"Ah, James! It's about time you woke up."

"How long was I out?" I asked, rubbing my neck with both hands. I could feel the thick stubble coming in. I had facial hair as a young adult—but this was some thick shit growing in. I wonder what the shavers were like here.

"Far too long. Do you know why I've decided we should visit Hagalaz?"

"Information?" I guessed.

"Yes, but not the kind that you're probably thinking." She turned to face me as Joker lowered the cockpit viewing window. A thin sheet of metal retracted below the spherical viewport, allowing for us to witness the beauty of the planet with our own eyes. It was spectacular. Hagalaz was a mixture of two deadly forces—intense heat and extreme cold. From here, I could see where those elements came into play. The whole planet seemed to be engulfed in a violent struggle between the tempest and harmony. On one side, you had chaotic lightning storms resembling the very fabric of anarchy. On the other hand, you had a partly cloudy mixture of sun and haze. We were headed for the equator, the established line found between the two natural divisions. That's where the Broker's ship was.

"ETA in three minutes," Joker calmly stated, "This thing isn't cloaked or anything, so they probably know we're coming."

"Come with me James." Nevva grabbed my hand and led me away from the cockpit and into her own room found just across the bridge, past Garrus and the rest of the crew. They were still gathered around the main compartment, a sheet of 3D images from the Broker's ship surrounding them amidst their conversation. They were deciding on who would be leading the strike teams. At least, that's what I imagined they were talking about. I still didn't know the entire story. Hopefully Nevva guiding me here was the start of me finding some kind of answer. A quick snapping of the door behind us cut off the noise from the main hub, leaving her and me in silence. The room was small. A single bed was practically glued to the wall with a small desk and lamp resting next to it.

"Cozy place," I remarked, "It suits you well."

"Listen to me," She ignored my previous statement, drawing closer to me. I could feel her breath as she stared into my eyes—her gaze seemed hollow.

"We're here to find answers…"

"And those answers may tell us everything. Every single thing we need to know."

"Like why we're here?" I asked.

She nodded, grabbing me by the collar, "We're so close James. I can feel it."

I just nodded back, feeling a bit uncomfortable here in this situation. Was she threatening me, or simply amped up about the mission? Regardless, this was kind of turning me on—beautiful girl pressing against my body, her hand gripping my collar, her breath cascading my face, lips nearly touching mine, those beautiful eyes. Not to mention, it was just me and her in this room. She was either going to knee me in the balls or start making out with me. I was prepared for either.

"Can't you?" She seemed confused, possibly even hurt at my lack of understanding. Her eyes wildly searched my face, leading me to wonder what it was I should have felt. Excitement? Anxiousness? The thrill of the unknown? Fear? She really hasn't given me much to work with here, so I just nod in affirmation, but she senses my bewilderment and backs away.

"The Shadow Broker may know why we're here. Who we are in this place. What we're doing decades away from home." She shakes her head.

"You do remember what home is, don't you?"

Ouch. Is that her way of calling me stupid?

"Of course I do, Nevva." I mirrored her emotional context; feeling like the sentimental approach was the best option at this point.

"It's just that…you haven't really told me a whole lot."

She took a seat on the bed across from where I stood. My hands were pressed up against the metallic wall, my back grazing its surface, heart pounding.

"It's for a reason."

I shook my head, "Fuck that! God damn! Maybe if you brought me up to speed I could understand. Maybe then I'd be able to actually do something. Instead, you have me occupying a fucking space on this expedition, which by the way, I still know nothing about! When are you going to learn to trust me?" I shouted, motioning towards the door.

"And what about my crew, huh? What the hell are they supposed to do now that we're halfway across the galaxy? The Alliance thinks we're probably either dead, or went completely bat-shit insane and are AWOL. Saren is on the loose with Tali in his grasp. And, oh wait, I think you're going to love this one…"

"We completely skipped over rescuing Liara."

I waited for some kind of response, but realized that it wasn't coming. I pressed more.

"We were supposed to visit Therum, Nevva. You know—that rocky world housing one of the most important people in the galaxy? Or at least, will be. But, that's right, let's just visit the Shadow Broker _now_! Just throw all reason and logic out of the window!" I raised my hands into the air.

"Fuck it!"

Oddly enough, I found myself panting at the end of my verbal tirade. All of these questions were bottled up inside me ever since I got here. I can't tell you how amazing it felt to just spill everything out before her. Clear my head and bear it all for her to hear. I needed to direct this rage at someone and judging by these past few hours; Nevva was the one to lay it on. Seemed like I was correct.

She motioned for me to join her on the bed.

_Every great sex scene starts with some sort of argument. You may just get lucky today._

Why was it that no matter the situation, the art of reproduction kept popping into my head? Then again, I ask that as if it's weird or strange in some way. I'm a guy. We always think about those things. The hormones will always be raging—until I find myself with more wrinkles than the shirt I wear.

"You're absolutely right," She stated, "I should be upfront and honest with you."

I smiled.

"After all…you _are_ Shepard."

"Enough with that," I responded, "I'm sick of you reminding me about being someone that I'm not."

"But you are." She countered, "Like it or not…you _have_ to save the galaxy. There's no other person that can do it. You're the one."

I rocked myself further onto the bed, leaning back against the wall, my gaze trained forward on the door. Kind of a peaceful act—staring at that metallic door with nothing but a wandering mind. In time I would open up to her. But for the moment, I sat there, embracing silence, remaining still in my place. After a minute, I allowed myself to ask another question.

"Why are we here, Nevva? Be honest with me…"

She easily propped herself backwards, meeting me at the edge of the bed, her eyes now focused on my every move.

"Back on the Citadel, it was like all my wildest fears had come true the moment you entered the picture…"

"I was with Raxus and the others. We were exploring the Presidium, searching for any sort of clue as to where you were—where Shepard would be. Soon enough you and the rest of your crew landed, no doubt excited as to what you were about to face. Nailing Saren before the eyes of the Council, recruiting three new allies who would later become lifelong friends, you were ready to begin a whole new adventure in a world dipped in fantasy."

She sighed, "Lucky for you, all of that needed to change."

"Change?" I repeated, "And why is that?"

She shifted uncomfortably on top of the bed, rearranging her position so that she sat cross legged before me.

"It kind of goes along with what I told you before…about us being here."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember what Raxus told me?" She asked, "About this being a game?"

I nodded.

"Well, that's what life became. We weren't entirely sure what to make of it—of reality. When your everyday consists of blending in with the shadows, observing and reflecting, you tend to think that we really were here for some kind of higher being's will. That wasn't just _his_ theory either."

"I figured that out the moment you told me," I answered, a grin stretching my face.

"I'm that bad at keeping a secret, huh?" She chuckled, "I thought that I was subtle enough …come to find out I must have seemed like an idiot all along."

"No. Don't be so hard on yourself," I teased, "You were only trying to protect your number one asset."

"Hardly," She replied, "I was going to reveal this all to you when the time was right."

"Like now?" I questioned.

"Now's as good a time as any," She remarked, "We're about to plunge into the unknown for Christ's sake. I believe we'll make it out alive. But, you never know…what with Tali and all…"

We sat in silence for another thirty seconds, stirring in the thought of our friend's abduction at the hand of a sadistic Turian driven by indoctrination. What a shame. Tali was an important part of the crew…a piece to the puzzle that we'll now never have. Things have become so fucked already. Her not here at this moment screws it up even more. The same goes for Liara. With every misstep we take, I can't help but feel like it's going to cost us somewhere down the road.

"How did that happen?" I wondered.

"Well, Saren beat us to the punch and-"

"No!" I cut her off, "How was Saren there in the first place?" I asked, refocusing my question.

"He was never supposed to be there according to the natural order of things. So, what changes that? Is it because of me? Or is something else at play here?" I brought my focus back onto her once more. She dodged my stare, her eyes flickering around for the briefest of moments. I'm no fool. Nevva was hiding something. Refusing to tell me the entire story.

"What's wrong?" My hand made its way onto her shoulder, but she brushed it off.

"Nothing," She said, "It's just that…"

She hesitated, searching for the right words.

"Spit it out!" I yelled, "I need to know everything Nevva. Everything that may come between me and defeating Saren."

"You sure?" She asked, "Because this might end up being a distraction for you."

"I think I'm past the distractions." I replied, running my fingers through my hair, "Tell me."

She hops off the bed and walks toward the far wall. After a few moments of pacing back and forth, she finally spills it all out for me.

"Saren, Sovereign, the Geth…they aren't the ones calling the shots."

"Then who is?" I ask, standing myself up. I make my way over to her. She just shakes her head.

"He goes by the name…Damian."

I always doubted myself growing up. There were times when I would be at home, at school, on the baseball field, about to make an important decision that would alter my destiny in some way, and I would just…not pull through. I would miss an opportunity that would likely land me in a different place that I could have possibly been in. Maybe even a better place. My gut was usually right, but when it was wrong, I felt like shit. When you couldn't trust yourself, then who could you trust? I knew from the moment I laid eyes on him that the creepy business leader of the "Dado" corporation was a conniving son of a bitch. He knew who Nevva was. He warned me to stay away from her. But now, she was here telling me that _he_ was ultimately the bad guy.

"Who can I trust?" I whispered.

"What was that?" Nevva asked.

_Fuck, try not to say that shit out loud in the future!_

"Nothing." I replied, "Just talking to myself."

"Uh huh…"

A rapid jolt shook me from where I stood. The ship violently rocked back and forth. A couple of cries from the main hub led me to believe that something was terribly wrong with our approach. Both Nevva and I exited the room and sprinted for the cockpit, passing by our alarmed crew members as they scrambled for their safety harnesses. Joker was found slaving over the various readouts and screens, noting how our approach was compromised.

"We're coming in hot!" He shouted, "We have multiple hostiles surrounding our LZ."

I faced Nevva, "Does this ship come with any weaponry?"

She shook her head, confirming what I already knew.

"This thing can barely hold its own during a flight! It's not a combat vehicle." She yelled, "Joker, see if you can land this as best as you can. We'll do the rest."

"Easy for you to say," He countered, "You aren't going to have to fly this thing after it takes a pounding."

"Just do it!" Nevva barked, "We're as good as dead in the air!"

Joker grunted, his hands now moving over the console with a renewed quickness.

"Brace yourselves!" He shouted, "We're coming up on the back end of the Shadow Broker's ship. Twenty hostiles approaching!"

Nevva led me to the armory nearing the rear of the vessel. We met the rest of the crew there—each person was focused and honed in on executing the mission—whatever it may have been. I assumed that we were infiltrating this place for the potential information. Though, if Nevva supposedly "knew" why we were here…then why did we have to do this? Something wasn't right here. I felt as if I was only getting half of the story. Maybe I should talk to Raxus later on; if both he and I manage to survive this ordeal.

In minutes, I was strapped in the iconic N7 armor, assault rifle in hand. I felt badass standing there with one hand on my hip, the other holding the rifle up towards the sky as I stood before the ship's cargo bay doors. I heard Joker speak, his voice booming from one of the speakers.

"_Touch-down. Hostiles approaching from the mid-section. Heavily armed and sure as hell surprised we're here_."

"Roger that," Neva replied into her mic.

She turned to face the rest of the group, "Everybody ready?" A few nods of affirmation caused for her to run out into the open, exiting the cargo bay doors in what seemed like a mad dash. Some of her friends followed suit, coming in close behind her. Next up was both Wrex and Garrus, each of them shouting some type of battle chant in their native tongue as they rounded the corner, disappearing entirely into the howling winds. Finally, Ash and Kaidan passed me by, joining the rest of the group on the platform and away from the ship.

_This is how it all begins._

I never pictured my life playing out this way. I always kind of imagined a peaceful existence—the married life, kids, steady job, maybe even a little bit of excitement thrown in here and there. But now, I was staring at a new life. A new world filled with limitless possibilities. And to tell you the truth, I wouldn't have it any other way. I step off the ramp that extended from the cargo bay, turning to see my crew hunkered down behind some make-shift cover on an extended platform. I could see a handful of men donning white armor running towards our position. I draw my gun to my eye, take in a deep breath, exhale…and fire.

_Here goes nothing_.


	7. The Broker

The Broker

"Is he alright?"

"James?"

I stood at the mouth of a gaping archway, frozen in place as the rest of my crew hovered toward me. Nevva was the first to approach, her eyes displaying a shade of caution as she slowly raised her hands. I couldn't tell what was going on. The last thing I remembered was firing off a shot from my rifle after exiting the ship, and then the rest went blank. Now I was here, standing on top of the Broker's massive vessel, nothing but the ferocity of the winds to drown out everything else in sight.

"Easy there, James…"

Was she talking to me? What could I have possibly d-

"Holy shit."

I was mortified—no—utterly terrified at what I saw as I looked down to the surface of the platform on which I stood. Never had I thought I'd see what my eyes were staring at now. I always knew that combat in the Mass Effect Universe involved some…gore. But, this was just otherworldly to me, foreign in most every aspect, overloading my senses to a point where functioning was a mere impossibility.

"It's okay James! Look at me." Nevva guided my head, her hand resting beneath my helmet. She easily raised my sights, trying her best to calm me down. I couldn't tell whether I was experiencing a panic attack or what, but this just mystified me. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins at an alarming rate, my heart pounding faster as the seconds passed. I could barely feel my limbs. My hands at least felt numb. And now, slowly, so did my feet.

"He's going into shock," I heard Ashley mutter.

"What? Why is th-"

"Don't speak!" Nevva interrupted, "Just focus on my voice, James. Feel the air as it makes its way into your lungs." She nodded, firmly placing both of her hands upon my shoulders.

"Good. That's it…"

The art of breathing _alone_ consumed me—dominated my mind like it was some kind of act that needed full attention, because if left unchecked, it could lead to something disastrous—which was actually closer to the truth than I'd like to admit. I closed my eyes, feeling the blood quickly rushing to my face out of a sense of embarrassment. How could I let something like this happen? How could I show weakness in a pivotal moment like this? It wasn't characteristic of Shepard. Even though I wasn't him, I still had to pretend. Right now, I was doing a piss poor job.

"There, are you feeling any better?"

I nodded, grabbing both of Nevva's hands and gently placing them at her side.

"I-I think I'm okay now," I staggered, raising my gun slightly.

"Whoa, easy with that," She deflected the gun, shoving it back down towards my waist side.

"Do you know where you are?"

Such a simple question, yet it needed to be asked in order to gauge whether or not I was truly functional. I supposedly blacked out during the battle. And, judging by the aftermath, I now know why. I turned to see a path of bodies mangled, torn, oozing, and drenched in blood. It was probably one of the more horrific things I had ever seen in my life.

"Hey! Eyes on me, James." Nevva clutches my shoulder, but I ward off her grasp, trying to comprehend what it was that I was seeing. Hopelessness. Death. Decay. A cycle of violent actions which lead to nothingness. I believed in Heaven and Hell—God and Satan. But there was nothing bringing these people back from the dead. They were gone. In another place…their existence snuffed out from the end of my own barrel.

"Did I…?"

"Yeah," Nevva finished my sentence, confirming one of my ultimate fears. I just brutally slaughtered people. For the first time. Ever.

"It was either us or them, kid." A new voice entered my muddied thoughts. A man, deep, almost frustrated at why this was taking so long.

"We have to continue on, Nevva. Scans are showing that we're not the only ones heading for the control room."

"Then go on without me, Raxus," She replied, "We'll catch up with you soon."

"So be it," Raxus shrugged, turning to face the rest of the group, "We go along as planned. Wrex and Garrus, you two will be leading the frontal assault with Leema and Jaren as support…"

Raxus went on for another minute coordinating the assault strategy, disregarding me and Nevva entirely. I was kind of getting the feeling that the guy was a complete asshole, but I couldn't judge him so harshly just yet. After all, I _was _slowing them down. And, the fact that Raxus knew me as some random kid trapped in Shepard's body probably didn't help my cause either. Once they left, Nevva spoke again.

"Don't mind Raxus," She said, almost reading my mind, "He's been on edge about this whole thing."

"T-That's alright," I felt so cold. My teeth were chattering—my body temperature must have dropped rapidly since emerging from the blood bath moments before. I at least could begin to feel my body again. The sensation of touch was slowly returning. I clenched my fist, noting the sound my gloves made when scrunching them in unison.

"That's it," Nevva coaxed, "You're almost back." Her voice sounded so soothing. I swear if it wasn't for her I'd probably be hyperventilating by now. This never happened to me—ever. I had fired guns when I was younger, seen people die in videogames and in movies, television—so why was this so hard now? I thought that the world of teenagers had been desensitized on a daily basis. Things like death, sex, love…all things which faded in intensity and meaning.

But seeing this here was another story.

"I feel so cold," My voice sounded hollow, unlike my own.

"I know," Nevva replied, "Just keep breathing and you'll be better in no time." I could see her faint smile from behind her mask.

I heard a scraping noise emanate from behind me; so naturally, I turn to see what it is. The winds of Hagalaz were so strong. A half torn body of a Salarian was sliding away from the center of the ship and towards the depths below. I could only watch in silence as it made the eventual trip across the metallic surface, disappearing over the rail and into the chaotic storm. Lost forever.

"That sure helps," I joked, turning back to see Nevva smiling nervously.

"Hey, at least you're not _him_!"

"You've got that right…" I whispered, still trying to catch my breath.

I gave her the thumbs up sign, indicating that I was ready to move forward.

"You sure?" She asked, "Because I can't guarantee your safety if that happens again while we're inside."

"I'll be fine," I replied, "I promise."

"If you say so," She flashes half a smile, and then turns for the archway, "Raxus and the others managed to find a hatch close by." She pauses, tinkering with her Omni-Tool, "They're already inside of the ship."

"I'm sorry," I wheezed, "I didn't mean to hold you up."

"Hey, we're all human," She replied, motioning for me to follow, "Come on…let's go find those answers."

* * *

The eerie sound of footsteps echo across the cavernous room that Nevva and I venture in. It was literally crazy to think that a room of this magnitude could exist inside of a space vessel, especially one primarily filled with computers and information terminals. Then again, that's the Shadow Broker for you. What was he again? A Yahtzee? Yakshi? Maybe the correct term was Yahg? Either way, we were going to have to get past him if we even hoped of seeing any answers. And if I remember correctly…he was a big, ugly, maniacal creature. I almost shuddered at the thought of facing such a thing. But I had to keep reminding myself that it was eleven of us against one. Regardless, the reality of it sent my mind into a pang of worry.

"This is amazing," Nevva remarked—her gaze trained upward at the etchings of alien symbols marring the ceiling and surrounding walls.

"What are they?" I asked, following her stare.

"It looks…Salarian, maybe even Turian."

My mind quickly flashed back to the carcass of that helpless Salarian. You know—the one that I killed with my own hands.

"Well, which is it?" I asked, making an effort to drown out the incoming memories.

"Uh…Turian!" She exclaimed, her voice booming all around us.

I heard her giggle in response. I couldn't help but laugh. Here we were, grown adults, engaged in a mission to overthrow the Shadow Broker, standing in this cave of a room, hysterical over the effect of an echo. I guess you never truly grow up after all.

"Do you remember why the Shadow Broker built this vessel?" Nevva asked—her hand gently brushing against a terminal hooked up to one of the walls.

I nodded, "It's the Broker's main hub of operations. He does all of his business and research here."

"Must be nice," Nevva smiled, "To have the luxury of working at home."

We moved forward to the next room—a long hallway filled with more terminals.

"How do you even know this much about the Mass Effect Universe, Nevva?" I wondered—my eyes trained on the various readouts. Every monitor here seemed to emit some kind of beeping or buzzing noise as we passed by.

"I honestly don't know," She started, "It's like…"

"Not this again," I interrupted, "You're just going to feed me some bullshit excuse, hoping I'd pipe down about the whole thing, right?"

"My God!" She scoffed, "At least let me finish!"

"Sorry," I replied, "Carry on."

"So, like I was _saying_, I don't exactly understand how I know of the Mass Effect Universe…because I never played the series, read the books, or even knew it existed until…well…until I was transported here."

We reached the end of the hall. A cafeteria of some kind stood before us. We maneuvered around the empty tables and chairs, proceeding toward the exit ahead.

"That doesn't make any sense. If you were chosen, like you suggested, then why would 'someone' decide to thrust you into this Universe if you knew nothing about it?"

She shrugged, "Beats me. I had months to think about that before you entered the picture."

"So, the whole knowledge and awareness of this entire Universe just instantly appeared in your head? How is that even possible?"

We passed through the cafeteria doors and were led into yet another hallway. This time, a long set of windows decorated the right wall, allowing for us to witness the paradoxical beauty of Hagalaz once more.

"It's like how you started getting your memory back," She answered, "At first, things were a bit hazy. I woke up from a strange dream…something really subliminal and foggy."

"Sounds about right," I added.

"Yep," She smiled, "Except I woke up on a park bench in the Presidium, while you ended up on the Normandy!"

I let out a sigh," So _that's_ how it happened."

"Wasn't so bad, actually. I was in a safe place, with access to food and water, not to mention Raxus was nearby."

"What was it like meeting him?" I imagined a stone cold African man staring down at me for the first time—a confused, alone kid, not a single clue as to what he was doing in this Universe. I would've been scared shitless. Probably would have even thrashed out at him.

"He was…understanding of my situation, much like with the others."

_There's that shakiness again. _

"So, in other words, he was a dickhead?"

That question squeezed out a laugh from her, but soon after she mellowed out.

"No it's not like that—not at all actually. It's just…we all act like we're friends but…" She paused to stop at a window, turning to face the storm outside.

"We're the farthest thing from it."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, "I thought you were all like, journeying companions or some shit."

She continued down the hall, walking up a flight of stairs. I was close behind her, cautiously peeking around to only wonder where the Broker's defenses were. The ship so far was pretty vacant. I couldn't even hear any gunfire from Raxus and the rest of our squad.

"It seemed that way, huh?"

"I don't understand. If you're not friends, then what are you doing with them?"

"Ah, if only it were that easy to explain."

"It is," I countered, "Just tell me what's up and I'll unders-"

I'm cut off by the sounding of an alarm. I jolt upright, training my gun forward with every intent of firing. I turn to see Nevva's eyes widen. She activates her Omni-Tool.

"Raxus? You there?"

The unnerving pop of static is barely heard over the blaring of the alarm as we wait for a reply.

"_Nevva…something is wrong._"

That's never a good sign. I look over to Nevva. She's pacing back and forth, a nervous look on her face.

"What do you mean, Raxus? What's going on?"

I could picture him caught up in a million different scenarios—leaving me with no choice but to worry.

"_None of the Broker's men are here._"

"How is that possible?" Nevva replied, "Are you saying that this ship is empty?"

"_I think it's a trap."_

Nevva turned to face me, confused.

"Where are you now?" She spoke into the Omni-Tool.

"_We're coming up on the bridge, I think. Scans show that we have a short walk through a couple of halls and then we're in. I'll pinpoint our position for you."_

Nevva's eyes were glued to the Omni-Tool. Replacing the empty space around her wrist appeared a 3D projection of the ship's layout. A red dot appeared a couple of rooms away from us. That must have been Raxus and the crew.

"We're on our way, Raxus. Don't go anywhere."

"_Hurry,_" He replied.

We broke for the communications room, pausing momentarily every so often to check corners and ensure we didn't trip any alarms. Not like it mattered much, because from the looks of things, no one was home. But then, what were those men doing back near the landing zone? The men I killed trying to protect my crew—despite the fact that I couldn't remember it at all. Who were they if they weren't with the Shadow Broker? Could there be another player in this game? The whole idea that another organization or a group of people were here before us started to make my head spin.

"We're almost there!" Nevva called out, dashing through a hallway with surprising speed. I almost couldn't keep up with her.

"Hold on!" I shouted, brushing her shoulder from behind.

"What?" She snapped around quickly.

"Before we do this…think about what we may find behind that door." I felt brave and cunning all of a sudden. Imitating badass super warriors from movies and books was a specialty of mine, since blending in and doing what I was "supposed to" has kind of become a lifestyle. Nevva just stared blankly at me, gesturing for me to see what was on her Omni-Tool. The red dot shown was just past the door to the hall.

"We have no choice…" She let out, "There's no way we're leaving here without everyone, so…"

I scratched the back of my head, feeling slightly embarrassed for even attempting to open my mouth and voice my opinion. What was I trying to do? Prove to her that I was capable of leading people? Was I trying to impress her because I thought she was kind of hot? I mean, she was, but that didn't stop me from trying to keep the galaxy's needs above my own carnal desires.

"Y-yeah," I stammered, "Let's do it."

She moved toward the door, bracing for what was behind. My heart was pounding now—it was almost unbearable, feeling my blood pressure rise, a cold sweat starting to overcome my skin. I was crouched down low, gun trained forward, anticipating a trap.

But what we found was nothing I ever expected.

Another massive room occupied our sights. More carvings and terminals lined the walls. No surprise there. What jolted me back was the group of people huddled around in a circle, standing amidst the center of the room, surrounding something. Nevva and I ran forward without hesitation.

She reached the group first, and before I could even see what everyone was looking at, she screamed.

"No!"

The small gathering opened up, allowing Nevva to kneel down beside a woman from her crew. Her lifeless gaze told me everything I needed to know.

"How?" Nevva barked. "How did this happen?"

Raxus stepped forward, placing a hand softly on Nevva's shoulder.

"We don't know. She dropped to the floor just seconds ago."

Nevva glanced around the crowd wildly, searching for someone else's account of what happened.

"It's true Nev," Another woman stepped forward, "Luxa was gone before we even knew what was wrong."

I bore witness to the first flash of emotion I thought I'd never see from Nevva. Her eyes turned watery, her lips quivering at the sight of the still corpse. There wasn't any sign—nothing indicating what had happened. No gunshot wound, burn marks, knife incisions. It seemed she just up and left…figuratively speaking. And well…I guess literally. No pun intended.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Nevva," Raxus spoke softly, kneeling so that he was eye-level with her.

"But we need to press on."

Nevva stared into Raxus's eyes, her gaze now hollow.

"You know what's at stake here."

She nodded, looked down at the body one last time, brushed past the crowd, and made her way for the Broker's communications room in silence. No one spoke. Except for Raxus.

"Prepare yourself Shepard," He warned, "I fear we're already too late."

"What are we expecting?" I asked.

"A war," was his reply.

Well, that sure helps a lot. Raxus, from the moment I met him, seemed like some kind of reliable character. Despite his shallow sense of emotion or sympathy, he was definitely someone I could depend on. There was a confidence about him that kind of, I don't know…relieved me of any pressure that I may have been feeling. Especially now.

We all made our way into the next hallway. If I remembered correctly, then this was it. This was the final safe haven from the Broker's main hub of operations.

"This is all wrong," A thin man cried, "None of this makes any sense."

"What do you mean?" I asked, "What's wrong?"

The man turned to Raxus, ignoring my questions.

"They're messing with us, Raxus! This is another one of their tests!"

Raxus stopped, hesitating for a brief moment.

"How can you be so sure?"

The thin man carefully walked over to one of the walls of the compact hallway, motioning for all of us to look closely.

"You see?" His hand brushed over a set of figures. From where I stood, it looked like one of those mural things you'd see painted onto a famous cave wall or something—a picture that ancient humans drew when they were bored and stuck inside because of the snow.

"It's the sign of Origin."

"Sign of what?" I asked, turning to see Raxus's curious stare.

"Hmm." Raxus took a step away from the wall.

"It appears so."

The thin man cried out, babbling about some kind of end time's nonsense.

"This is what we've been waiting for!" He screamed, "We're going home!"

_Home_. A word that meant so many things to me at this moment. I have memories of a home, warm and inviting, open to friends and family. I missed it so much.

"Don't get your hopes up yet," Nevva interrupted, "Check your readouts. Someone else is in the next room. Multiple hostiles."

Raxus took control.

"Assault teams ready." He commanded.

Garrus and Wrex hustled to the front of the crew, crouching with their guns trained forward at the door. The rest of our group settled into step, with Raxus, Nevva and I covering the midsection of our mobile task force.

"Move out!" Raxus yelled.

We were like a single organic being—each of us acting as a body part, contributing in this bipartisan effort for some kind of beneficial result.

The door surprisingly wasn't locked. We all made our way inside the Broker's sanctum, only to be left stunned, frozen in place, speechless. I couldn't register what lie before us. All else seemed to slow to a crawl—time, breathing, the soft lull of computers at work, every nondescript noise that ever made an effort at reaching out to me. It all phased out.

"My God…"

Standing before us was a man with long gray hair, donning a white suit— a smile arched his lips upwards, revealing a perfect set of white teeth.

It was Damian.

"Welcome to my humble abode!" He cheerily exclaimed.

"Please, come in."

* * *

**AN: Sorry this one took so long! Hope you've enjoyed the ride so far. It'll be worth it in the end! For now, leave a review if you want. Let me know how you like the story, or what you want to see, etc. It helps alot! Thanks.**


	8. Undertow

**AN: Thank you to all who have favorited or put this story on their alert list. It is much appreciated. Enjoy.**

* * *

Undertow

That smile will haunt me forever.

Damian stood in the center of the Shadow Broker's sanctuary, his arms extended forward, gaze cast heavily in our direction. He was gesturing for us to draw near, as if inviting a long lost friend over for dinner.

"I'm so glad everyone could make it!"

Grinning, he said, "Looks like we may be down one though. That's too bad."

"What are you doing here?" Raxus spat, raising his weapon.

Damian held his hand up in the air.

"Not so fast _Raxus_," He countered, "I'm not looking for a fight."

"Neither are we." Raxus replied.

Damian made his way closer. The guy was smooth—it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Were we outmatched? It was impossible to say. I liked to believe that fate was on our side. Though, I've learned to never underestimate a person—especially someone like Damian. _Why is this happening_? It was the only question I could think of as we stood there in a standoff, acting like gunslingers before a pistol match. Was there some sort of anomaly chalked up together in all of this? Or was it the work of a god?

"What do you want, Damian?" I asked, stepping away from the group. I felt someone grab at my side, but I quickly shook them off, pushing forward to meet this mysterious man head on.

He smiles—I hesitate.

"James. I never thought I'd see _you_ again!" He shouted, an inflection of mockery edging his tone.

He lowered his voice, "What a surprise."

I could only imagine what Nevva and Raxus were thinking. I'm sure they were pissed that I had chosen to leave out my cryptic meeting with Damian only minutes after running into them for the first time. Truth is it kind of slipped my mind.

"Listen," I replied, sheathing my pistol, "I don't really know what's going on here—whether you all know each other or you're just here because you wanted to fuck over the Shadow Broker…"

I take a step forward, "But we're looking for information. So, either move aside, or-"

Damian cuts me off with a wave of his hand. His grin disappears. Replacing it is a mask of amusement—maybe even curiosity.

"You seem to have him wrapped around your finger my dear," He was glancing past me, locking eyes with Nevva.

"I told you to stay away from her James. But did you listen?"

I paused, momentarily staring across the room to survey his forces. A handful of Geth troopers were standing single file in front of a wall, completely emotionless.

"Of course not." He finished, noticing my concern.

"What?" He gestured back toward his bodyguards of metal and steel, "You like them?"

"Not exactly," I seethed, "Instead, why don't you take your pieces of trash and leave. Because you're not welcome here. This is official Spectre business."

He reared his head back high, letting out a powerful laugh that boomed across the room. The noise of his middle-aged voice filled my ears, almost forcing me to consciously tune him out.

"That's funny, James! You almost had me fooled."

He approached me, stopping only to examine my features and the condition of my crew.

"You're good at pretending."

We all watched in silence as Damian strode past us, his Geth troopers following him in blind obedience. Nevva and Raxus both tensed up as he walked by, stopping only briefly to leave a few parting words for them.

"I _will_ secure victory," He said, "At all costs."

And with that, he turned to face me one last time.

"Goodbye Shepard," He smiled, "I'll see you soon."

_Next time I put a bullet between your eyes you fucking creep._

"Don't count on it," I called out, hoping he'd respond, but he just kept his pace. After he exited the Broker's room, I turned my focus onto the rest of the crew.

"This is bad," The thin man said, "Really bad."

"We don't know what he was after," An older woman added, "He may have found nothing."

"Or, he may be one step closer to the prize."

I walked over to a large terminal, scrolling through various reports. Some detailed civil war encounters on prospect worlds, others of espionage and cyber warfare attempts between rival corporations. The shit here was meaningless to me. I wanted answers as to why and how we were here. I was hoping Nevva was right about coming to this place. My faith in her judgment was on the decline.

"Anyone care to tell me who that guy really is?" I asked, to no one in particular.

Nevva glanced over at me. The look on her face said it all.

"It sounds like you may know more than _us_…"

_Ouch. And so their faith in me is shaken._

"I met the guy _once_, okay?"

She rolled her eyes.

"I'm telling the truth! After our brief meeting and before I reconnected with my crew, I took a taxi that somehow malfunctioned, leading me to the doorstop of the CEO of some corporation. It just so happened to be Damian…"

"Bullshit," She responded, "He acted like he's known you for years!"

I shrugged, "Look, I really don't know what else to tell you. The guy is a snake. That's all I've got."

"Nevva! I found something." A fair skinned woman was pointing at a large screen.

"What is it?"

"There's some kind of wrinkle here…"

"Wrinkle? What do you mean?"

"Okay," The woman started, "You may not fully understand what I'm about to tell you, but I'll try my best."

The rest of the crew gathered around a lone screen fastened up against the wall. A diagram of the Broker's ship zoomed out to a projection of a map—a chart of the galaxy.

"I was an astrophysicist in the real world. Well, the _other_ real world…21st century. We tend to study the physics of celestial objects like the galaxy, stars, planets, interstellar medium, and more. If it existed in this universe that we live in, then we studied it. Simple as that. What really wasn't simple in any way was labeled as 'fruitless,' or 'unknown,' or even 'anomaly.' We didn't hold all of the answers, but we sure as hell knew more than we were letting on. But, without the solid evidence backing every single facet of our discoveries, what was the point of going public? International, even?"

Nevva interrupted, "Where are you going with this, Jelle?"

"Sorry," The woman responded, "Sometimes I forget how precious time is here."

She waved her hand across the screen, and then pointed it toward the center of the room, her Omni-Tool glowed a bright yellow hue. Somehow, the image was transported to the large spherical object positioned overhead. I remember it as some kind of data mine of information passing by in the form of white. I could see the brain-like structure pulsating as currents and streams of information coursed along wires that stretched to far ends of the room. Soon after, the miniature 3D image of the galaxy was life size, surrounding us, encapsulating our very beings in depictions of planets, clusters and stars.

"Wow," was someone's response.

"This is…" The thin man brushed his hand through a glowing star, his eyes lost in the fabric of the galaxy and all of its wonders.

"…amazing."

I walked to a cluster of planets eclipsed in a red nebula. With one hand, I grabbed Nevva, ushering her to look at what I was seeing with the other. She was reluctant at first, but after seeing what I saw, she couldn't help but be drawn to it.

"Why does that look so familiar?" She asked.

"I-I'm not sure…" I activated my Omni-Tool, synching my device with the interstellar map. I wasn't sure what I was doing, but it was worth a shot. In one pinching motion, I brought my hands together, just in front of the nebula, hoping it would expand into greater visibility. I was in luck.

"Whoa, check it out!" The thin man hurried over to where Nevva and I stood.

"Is that what I think it is?" The man asked, his hands grazing the nebula.

In one rapid motion, I extended the tips of my fingers outwards, finding the result a bit shocking altogether. The nebula expanded, our point of view increasing under a zoom of about ten times what was considered normal. The cluster became a set of multiple systems, and within those systems were planets.

"It's an interactive star map…" Nevva glanced all around, trying to make sense of it.

"What system is this?" Raxus stepped forward, his eyes locked in on the depictions.

"I can find out," the scientist woman replied, "Just give me a second."

Her hands blazed over the controls of a terminal as she hummed some kind of childhood tune to herself. It only took a minute for her to finish.

"There," She proudly stated, "We now have the names of every single charted system!"

Letters, symbols, titles, words—all came into view before us. I saw the Sol system, Serpent Nebula Cluster, Armstrong Nebula, Shadow Sea, there were so many of them. Overwhelmed, I brought my focus back onto the red nebula system. The words, Pangaea Expanse lit up in bold face.

"Isn't that…?" Nevva placed her hand on my shoulder, her eyes briefly locking with mine.

"Only one way to find out," I remarked, expanding the view.

I honed in on one system, the only one of interest. There was a relay there, clearly labeled by the name of 'Mu'.

"The Mu Relay!" The thin man gasped, "We found it…the Refuge system."

"How is it even possible that the Broker has this information? The relay has been lost for over four thousand years!"

"It's the Broker we're talking about here," I replied, "He has his ways."

"_Had_," Wrex called out from another room. I shot him a look, peering into a room just past the ramp. I made my way toward him, noticing a streak of blood running a great length across the floor. I suspected the worst.

"Looks like the Broker's luck has run out." He chuckled, pointing to a mangled corpse.

_Jeez. He's definitely seen better days._

The beast known as the Broker was left partially severed—one arm was completely torn off, accompanied by half of a leg, with a nasty gash occupying his stomach and chest areas. He was brutally slaughtered. It was senseless to do something like this. Then again…how can I say that after murdering those men on the ship's exterior?

"I found something!" I heard Jelle, the scientist woman, call out to us from the main foyer.

Wrex and I hurried out to see what was going on. Everyone was huddled around the red nebula—the Mu Relay. Jelle focused in on the Pangaea Expanse, quickly coming on Ilos. Her fingers were working to capture something around the planet.

"Are you seeing this?"

At first, I had no clue what this woman was talking about. All I saw was space, stars in the background, and of course, Ilos. What was it she expected us to see?

"Look!" She zoomed in even further, coming across some kind of shiny spherical object just outside of Ilos's atmosphere. It looked like a satellite, just much, much bigger.

"What's that?" Nevva asked, her eyes widening at the sight.

"It looks like…a structure of some kind," Raxus noted, focusing in on the alien object.

Jelle zoomed in further, the structure coming into shape and optimal detail.

"My best guess is a space station of some kind," I added, "It's positioned just above the planet, probably an observation rig or something."

"But there are four of them surrounding Ilos," Nevva said, "Don't you find that a bit odd?"

"Could be the Geth," Kaidan stepped forward, shooting me a look of concern. He hesitated, not sure whether he overstepped his bounds or not.

"Go on, Kaidan," I motioned, "Tell us what you think."

"It's not much," He said, "I only have an idea of what the Geth technology looks like based off of the vids from basic training."

Ashley chimed in, "Oh God. They practically drilled those segments into our minds. I couldn't go to sleep without seeing a floating Geth head pass through my vision before bed.

I scratched the back of my head, "Uh, yeah," I added, "Pure torture…"

Nevva shot me a knowing smile. It was faint, but there all the same. Kaidan continued with his theory.

"Not much was known about the Geth…only that their forces are probably vast. They tend to build observation posts surrounding foreign planets."

"How do you know that?" Nevva asked, "They've been behind the Perseus Veil this whole time."

"Quarian intel," Kaidan reminded her. "Without the Flotilla's experience with the Geth during the Morning War, we'd know next to nothing."

"Makes sense," I added, "And since the Mu Relay is hidden from much of the galaxy, why _wouldn't_ the Geth venture out to explore?"

"What's even worth exploring out there?" Garrus asked, joining in on the discussion.

I glanced at Nevva. She nodded. Guess that meant I had the go ahead to reveal what was ultimately at stake.

"Ilos is an ancient Prothean world used for military and scientific purposes. The remaining Prothean population flocked to this haven with the hope that their species would survive extinction."

"What were they running from?" Ashley asked, her hands cupping the projection of Ilos.

I turned to my crew, "You all remember our pursuit of the Quarian, Tali?"

They nodded.

"She was holding the data that was going to nail Saren. His ransacking of Eden Prime with the Geth at his disposal was to secure that Prothean Beacon—which was recorded by her before she made it off-world. The Beacon was a warning sent out across the galaxy of the Reaper Invasion."

"Reaper?" Kaidan interrupted, "What's that?"

I inhaled, looking around the room for support. Nevva, Raxus, Jelle, even the thin man…their eyes were locked on mine, all of them standing still amidst the surreal projections of the 3D map, hinging on my every word.

"The Reapers are what killed off the Prothean race. I'm not exactly sure what they are...kind of a mix between organic and synthetic parts, depicted as huge dreadnaught ships with claw-like apparatuses."

Garrus looked skeptical, "Sounds…"

"Impossible, I know," I added, "But there's proof out there. We're just going to have to find it."

"If you say so Commander," Garrus replied, "I'm with you."

The rest of the crew nodded in unison, backing Garrus' statement in full confidence and affirmation. I made my way over to Nevva, who stood leaning over, a hand on her hip as she smiled at me.

"What now?" I asked, "Where's the next stop?"

"I'd say we should head straight for Ilos…" was her reply.

"What? Are you crazy? We don't even know if Saren is in it for the Reapers anymore…"

"How do you figure?" She asked, "He still sought the Beacon on Eden Prime…"

I waved my hand, dismissing her claim, "But he kidnapped Tali on the Citadel. He practically spit in our faces and told us that something else was going on here. Last time I checked, that didn't happen under normal circumstances."

"You don't get it, James," She sighed, "_This_ right here…this is real. We're in the moment…the true moment. The one and only tale of Mass Effect is now. You just need to accept that fact and move on!"

"We can't just skip to Ilos!" I argued, "You even said it yourself!"

"When did I say that?"

"Well, not directly," I countered, "But you told me one thing: do what Shepard would do. I just have a strong feeling that we need to pursue the normal arc here, Nevva."

I gazed at the illustrious display of the galaxy once more, glancing at star clusters and nebulas of every color on the spectrum, soon after fixing my stare on her.

"Trust m-"

A frantic beep sounded off near the super computer resting against the far wall. I didn't even really notice the paneled display before, where now every tiled monitor flashed a vibrant blue. I made my way over to the computer's keyboard, noticing a single key as it pulsed, flashing yellow. I pressed it.

"Sir, the Spectre has landed on Feros." It sounded like a Salarian, though the voice was unrecognizable—masked by some sort of audio cloaking device.

I glanced back at everyone else, noticing both Nevva and Raxus approaching me.

"Sounds like one of the Broker's agents," Raxus mused, "We can use this to our advantage."

"Go on," Nevva gestured, "Speak into the mic."

I almost forgot. The very same mic that Liara would use to assume the mantle of the Shadow Broker was staring me right in the face. I pressed the button.

"Clarify your findings," I said, my voice twisting into some kind of deep and ominous new sound.

"Saren Arterius, threat level three, human colony world of Feros. Notable organization Exo-Geni resides there. Information shows some kind of biological entity near or in the vicinity of the main settlement called Zhu's Hope. Feros is located in the Attican Beta Cluster in the Theseus system."

"Very good," I concluded, "Your work is done. Stay posted for further instructions."

"Yes sir…" the pop of static led me to believe that the agent had signed off, leaving me in silence, unsure as to what this meant.

"Did I just…?"

"Sounds like you're the Shadow Broker now too!" Nevva teased, slapping me on the shoulder, "Congratulations _Commander_!"

"And it looks like we're headed for Feros," Raxus added, stroking his beard, "Always wanted to see the Prothean Skyways for myself."

I shot him a look.

"What?" He answered, "Can't a man admire a nice view?"

I smiled, returning to the center of the room with some of the others, synching my Omni-Tool with the star map in one last effort. The device buzzed and whirred as information seamlessly entered its storage capacitors, each and every detail saved for later. I was definitely going to need this as a reference for wherever we'd end up. Since the Normandy was no longer under our control that meant the galaxy map was out of our hands too. Without some kind of map or sense of guidance, you could just forget about saving the galaxy.

"We must use caution."

I turned to see the thin man hovering over me—his voice was barely above a whisper.

"You are an important asset to us, Shepard."

I nodded, "We aren't rushing into things blind, if that's what you're wonderi-"

"No," the man cut me off, "If we lose you in any way, then we're doomed."

He patted me on the back, and then hurried off to collect more data for the road. Weird. Was it just me, or were these people starting to act a little loopy? I know that things can get intense, especially in this situation, but why do I have the feeling that they're hiding something important from me?

We finished collecting information. Nevva and Raxus gathered us all together and conducted a vote on where we should go next. Of course, I voted for Feros, as did the majority of the group. You could tell that Nevva was disappointed. She argued that Ilos would eventually be our last stop…so why not camp there and wait for Saren to arrive? Needless to say, I felt like there was more going on here, and investigating Feros would be paramount to our success. I wasn't going to be taking any chances. Especially after all that has happened so far.

Leaving the Broker's ship was about as easy as entering. Nevva and I figured that since the Broker was now dead, that left his title up for grabs. We already had what we needed, but it was comforting to know that whenever we ran into a dead end, we could always just use the technology here on Hagalaz as a last resort. The rest of the group gathered scrap equipment. Some brought along terminals, others laptop-like devices. We were stocking up, hoping to transform the _Forge_ into a vessel worthy of our adventure. Intelligence was going to be vital in the coming days—hell, maybe even weeks. I didn't know how long this was going to take, but I was ready to face whatever obstacle stood in our way. It was no longer for my own benefit, but for the fate of the entire galaxy. I didn't know who was out there watching us, if that was even true…but if they were looking down on us now, I couldn't help but think that they'd be pleased.

Feros…here we come.


End file.
